Beast Wars: My Guardian Angels
by DreamPrincess2591
Summary: Hallie and Melody Thorne were living their ordinary lives in Canada when they were suddenly spirited away through time and trapped in the prehistoric era. Now involved in the Beast Wars, Hallie and Melody must trust their new friends and work together to defeat the Predacons. Can they survive long enough to get back home without bickering?
1. Chapter One - The Last Game

Since she was four years old, Hallie Thorne loved baseball. She was a natural pitcher and batter. Every day, she'd practice throwing tennis balls at target markers and swing her bat in the garden.

In the Little League Junior Baseball, Hallie was the best player and is the only girl in her team. Everyone loved her for what she does. But her life was not all gold and glitters. Her parents have divorced three months ago after suffering financial ruin. Hallie prayed for this. She hates her father very much. Her mother is a doctor who works at the hospital. She is loving, but away a lot. Grandpa and Grandma look after their granddaughters until Mom comes home.

Melody is her six year old sister. She is a crybaby, but has a good heart. She misses Daddy very much. She was lonely enough to start talking to her imaginary friends. Hallie constantly squabbles with Melody and loses patience a lot. It seems nothing could make them a family.

* * *

Tonight's baseball game is going to be a good one.

"Alright, Hallie, you're up." Coach Beck told her, smacking his hands together.

Hallie Thorne stood up from the bench as she picked up her bat. She quietly walked out in the field and took her position as the Blue Beater's batter.

The Red Riders team are arranged out in the field. They are arrogant and total snobs. They've been champions three years in a row and their Coach loves to rub it in.

The eight male members of Hallie's team watched her from behind the gates. They looked tired and anxious, as they expect to lose the championship final.

Families and friends connected to both teams are watching them out in the baseball field. Among the crowd, Hallie can see her mother and little sister Melody sitting out in the stands. They were cheering her on. This makes Hallie smile every time.

Mom cupped her hands around her mouth and shouts: "Come on, Hallie! You can do it! Kick their backsides!"

Melody is waving shyly at Hallie. She has blonde hair with a hairband and is up to her older sister's chest in height. She wears overalls over her orange-white striped t-shirt and white shoes. She carries an old teddy bear called Mr Snuggles wherever she goes, even to bed.

"Get your act together, Hallie!" Coach Beck told her sternly.

Hallie did what she was told and focused on the rival pitcher.

The score is 6-6 on the scoreboard.

If Hallie wins this point, then she and her team will go down as heroes and make everyone they love proud.

The pitcher boy stands on the mound, looking at Hallie with the same focus they share.

"Hey, girl!" taunted the boy catcher who is squatting behind Hallie. "Why are you on the boys team? Are you confused or just stupid?"

Hallie ignored him. She took a deep breath as she positioned her arms to swing.

The pitcher pushes off the plate with his foot, gaining velocity and leverage as he threw the ball toward the home plate where Hallie is standing. She tightens her grip on the bat and starts deliberately missing the ball.

"Strike one!" Coach Morris called, displaying one finger.

The Red Riders players were laughing at her, including their coach who counts her strikes.

"Strike two!"

"What are you doing?" Coach Beck asked her with a low hiss.

Hallie wants the game to be intense because she wanted the pitcher to get overconfident and lose his focus. What she didn't expect is to go out with a bang.

As soon as the pitcher threw the ball for the third time, Hallie swung the bat and hits hard.

BOOM!

The baseball soared toward the skies as it goes beyond the fence and out in the street. Every single person in the field was absolutely dumbstruck at what they just witnessed.

Hallie immediately ran toward the first base, dropping her bat and throwing her helmet off. It was the first time she ever hit a grand slam, which is rare and popular in baseball history.

Suddenly, the audience cheered and clapped loudly for their coming victory and chanted for her name.

Gasping for breath, Hallie has run around the three bases until she made it to the home plate.

_"Give it up for our lucky star, Hallie Thorne!"_ the speaker announced.

The Blue Beaters came running out toward Hallie and huddled excitedly around her.

Coach Beck told the boys to break it up and give their best player air. He proudly shook Hallie's hand. "Way to go, kiddo." he said, with a brief grin. He rarely smiles.

"Thank you, sir." Hallie said cheerfully.

The Red Riders gave Hallie and her team dirty looks for their loss. Some of them threw their helmets on the ground out of frustration. They couldn't believe a girl had beaten them.

Her school's baseball team has won the championship against the Red Riders' school. The trophy was added to the school's sports collection displayed in the hallway. Hallie was awarded with a gold medal for her victory, including her teammates who never looked so happy.

It was a victory that she will never forget.

**_Later…_**

Mom was driving her green Toyota Corolla car through the old neighbourhood to reach her parents' house. They couldn't make it to Hallie's baseball match because they needed rest. Mom and her daughters had to get away from the overexcited crowd at school.

Hallie was sitting in the backseat with Melody, admiring her medal around her neck. She never felt so proud of herself. All that practice has paid off. No one will doubt her skills now. She was thinking of many plans to celebrate. But the mood is spoiled when Hallie heard a familiar, annoying sound.

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

"Oh, great!" Hallie sighed.

It was her mother's pager. She is a doctor. SHe has to work another night shift again at the hospital. It looks like the dinner party is cancelled.

Mom parked the vehicle in front of Grandpa and Grandma's house as she slows to a halt. Following the old routine, Hallie steps out of the vehicle and angrily slammed the door shut.

"Mommy, can't you stay for dinner?" Melody whined. She was already outside to face Mom who is inside the car.

"Not now, Melody. I have to work." Mom said regretfully.

"When are you coming back?" Melody asked innocently.

Mom took Melody into her arms through the window and they hugged each other lovingly. "Tomorrow morning. I promise, sweetheart. Until then, Hallie will take care of you."

Hallie recalled memories of the times her mother had missed out on her 12th birthday, Melody's 6th and other celebrations that Mom couldn't make it to because the hospital demand her expertise. How many more promises is she going to break for the same old excuse?

Hallie scoffs at this in disgust. "You can't stop working for 10 minutes to spend time with your own family?" she asked angrily.

Shocked, Mom turned to face her oldest daughter. "What did you say, Hallie?" she asked.

"It's not fair." Hallie told her.

"Hallie!" Mom snapped out of anger. "Stop being selfish."

"I am not!" Hallie shouted. "When was the last you cared about me and Melody?"

Mom was already frustrated and weary with her daughter's disobedience. "You're just as stubborn and foolish as your father." she huffed.

"Don't compare me to him, Mom!" Hallie said bitterly. "He's such a jerk."

"Keep it down, Hallie!" Mom hissed, looking around. "The neighbours can hear you."

"Let them hear. I don't care!" Hallie shouted, throwing her arms up.

Mom gave up the argument when she stopped to stare at the house. Grandpa and Grandma had come outside, wondering what the commotion was all about.

Mr Higgins's dog was barking next door. It was a surprise he didn't come out of his house to complain about the noise. Mr Higgins was probably used to hearing Hallie and Melody argue all the time so he chose to ignore them.

Hallie couldn't help but feel she was acting like brat. Melody was the only good girl around. She knew better that to get involved in an argument or start one.

Mom turned the car keys to start it up. "We'll talk about this later, young lady." She revved the engines and drove out of the neighbourhood to reach the hospital.

That was probably the last time Mom ever spoke to Hallie. No hug, no goodbye; just a bitter argument that left both of them in silence.


	2. Chapter Two - The Celebration

Hallie walked down the path, followed by a quiet Melody, into their grandparents' house.

Grandpa and Grandma hugged their granddaughters in the most loving manner and gave each other kisses. Then Hallie showed off her medal to them. "I've won the school baseball championship, guys. I even scored a grand slam!" he said excitedly.

"Wow!" Grandpa exclaims. "That is amazing, Hallie!"

"I saw it. I thought she would lose." Melody joked.

Everyone laughed heartedly at this.

"Well, children," Grandma began with a smile. "This calls for a real celebration."

Grandpa and Grandma have cooked up a roast dinner in the kitchen and served them around the table; mashed potatoes, chicken, gravy, rice with carrots and broccoli. The Thorne sisters were enjoying their delicious meals, while they reluctantly eating their vegetables. Melody puts a lot of cheese on hers to lighten the flavour since she's a fussy eater. Her teddy bear has his dinner plate with fake food and an empty glass.

Grandpa and Grandma listened to Hallie's story about winning the tournament with her newfound strategy and luck. Win or lose, Grandpa and Grandma were proud of Hallie no matter what. Melody was happy for her sister, though a bit jealous of the attention Hallie is getting. It was like the argument with Hallie and her Mom never happened.

When dinner was over, Hallie and Melody were given apples for desert. They weren't allowed sweets.

"Please can we leave the table?" Melody asked, drinking down her milk.

"You may, dear." Grandma smiled, indicating to the glass door that leads to the garden. "Go on and have fun."

Melody dragged Hallie outside to play in the garden. The sisters don't always get along so they squabble a lot. "Let's play hide n' seek!"

Hallie was hesitant at first, but then she is faced with her little sister's famous puppy face. "Pretty please?" pleaded Melody.

For her reply, Hallie smiled and started counting to twenty. She covered her eyes and looked away. "...18, 19 20! Ready or not, here I come!" she yelled.

Hallie started searching the garden. Melody wouldn't be inside the house because Grandpa and Grandma would rat her out. Hallie searched the bushes, trashcans and even climbed up the tree house. Melody wasn't there either.

Then Hallie noticed the loose board used to cover the hole in the fence is on the grass. It's big enough for a child to fit through so she crawled in to investigate.

"BOO!"

"AH!" Hallie screamed, leaping to her feet.

Melody was laughing hysterically as she wraps her arms round her stomach. "You should see your face!" she giggled.

"Melody, you scared the crap out of me!" Hallie shouted furiously.

"I'm telling. You swore." Melody said, abruptly meek.

"Whatever." Hallie said with regret. "I'm sorry."

The Thorne sisters checked their surroundings as they were near the entrance of a large pine forest. The darkness behind the trunks was strangely giving Hallie the shivers of fear down her spine. "Come on, Mel." she said, indicating to the hole in the fence. "We shouldn't be here. If our grandparents caught us out here, they'll tell Mom and I'll be grounded for a month."

Melody ran back into the garden through the fence. Hallie chased after her. Then she saw her little sister picked up a stray baseball from the grass. She was smiling at her.

"Come on, play catch with me!" Melody insisted, waving the baseball about.

"No." Hallie refused, crossing her arms. The ball is hard enough to break a bone. It was too dangerous.

"It's not fair." Melody complained. "You played since you were four."

"That's different." Hallie explained. "I had to practice with tennis balls and work hard to stay on the team."

Melody wouldn't give up. "Come on, Hal, please?" she begged, giving her sister puppy eyes.

Hallie was not fooled. "No." she said.

"Please, please, please!"

"No." Hallie said more firmly.

"PLEASE!" Melody shrieked.

"I said no!" Hallie shouted with an exasperated groan. "Can't you understand that? It's too dangerous!"

Melody looked hurt. Her lips were trembling. She was ready to burst into tears. Her pitiful sounds made Hallie feel worse.

"Oh, man," Hallie groans. "Don't start crying."

Finally, Melody kneeled down in the grass and cried. She hugged her teddy bear Mr Snuggles tightly. "You're mean." she sobbed.

Grandpa and Grandma must have heard the noise the girls made because they walked outside to investigate. "What is going now you two?" Grandma demanded gently.

Sobbing, Melody dropped her teddy bear and ran into Grandpa's arms. "There, there, sweetpea." he cooed, stroking her head.

"Why did you make your sister cry, Hallie?" Grandma asked in a sad tone.

"Melody always cries!" Hallie yelled, throwing her arms up in the air. "She does this to get whatever she wants!"

"I just wanted to play baseball." Melody said softly. Tears stream down her rosy cheeks.

"I told her it was dangerous but she never listens to me!"

Grandpa and Grandma looked at their oldest granddaughter with such disappointment and displeasure that it made her uncomfortable. It was worse than getting yelled at.

Hallie scoffed and throws her arms up. "I'm taking a nap. I don't want to talk anymore."

As Hallie walked away and climbed up the treehouse, she overheard her family's quiet conversion. She almost couldn't hear their words.

"Why is Hallie mean all the time?" Melody asked, looking up.

"Your sister is not mean, Melody." Grandpa said with sigh. "She just…lived through a very rough childhood."

"I don't understand."

Grandma led Melody gently toward the backdoor. It was already her bedtime. She told her: "Hallie will come in when she's ready."

After that, Grandpa and Grandma slide the backdoor shut.

After hearing everything, Hallie stifles her sobs as she crawls inside the treehouse. She slips under the camp bed and turns the electronic lantern off.

Hallie and Melody share a bedroom. Melody struggles to read and write so Hallie has to tell her a bedtime story every night.

Soon, Hallie snuggles into a comfortable position and passes out, ignoring the cold air.


	3. Chapter Three - The Departure

**_Tonight…_**

Something startled her awake when Hallie heard the backdoor slam shut. She must have fallen asleep and experienced another dream she'll never remember in the morning.

Hallie shivered as she embraced the freezing air from removing the camp blanket. She crawled over to the tree house window to investigate the noise. The house lights were out. It was way past her bedtime.

But then Hallie saw her sister Melody sneaking out again. She is wearing a different yellow t-shirt and red jacket but she kept her overalls. She also carried her teddy bear with her.

For three months since the divorce, Melody had been going into the forest behind the fence every night to play with her imaginary friends. Hallie didn't bother at first because she thought it was one of Melody's games. But she grew worried when her sister kept doing it secretly.

Hallie had been looking for an excuse to go on watch without Melody noticing. This time, she's wearing her rucksack that's packed for a camping adventure. "Where are you going?" she asked suspiciously.

Melody was surprised but not scared. She knew Hallie wasn't in bed so she didn't bother to react. "I'm going to see my friends." Melody said.

"You mean your imaginary friends?"

Melody looked annoyed and insisted: "They are real! They're really nice."

"How can I if they don't exist?"

"I'll show you." Melody said, pointing at the forest beyond the garden fence. "They're coming back tonight in the woods. They want me to leave with them."

Hallie raised her eyebrows curiously. "Why?"

"I don't know." Melody said. "They talk to me in my dreams."

"How long have you been having these dreams?"

"Three months ago." Melody replied. "They told me to pack up because once I leave, I won't come back again."

Hallie was very suspicious that these 'imaginary friends'. It is becoming much weirder and she wants to know why. "What have you got in there?" she asked, observing her sister's heavy rucksack.

Melody tugged the straps. "I waited until Grandpa and Grandma fell asleep. Then I packed some t-shirts, underpants, pyjamas, a waterbottle, food, a toothbrush, toothpastes and mouthwashes."

"Why so much dental care, Mel?" Hallie asked, tilting her head sideways.

Melody shrugged her shoulders. "I like to look after my teeth." she replied.

"Can I come with you?" Hallie asked, decided play along. "I don't want you go through this alone."

Melody was taken aback when she heard that her sister is actually agreeing with her. "You… You really want to meet them, Hallie?" she asked with sincere disbelief.

"Sure." Hallie shrugged her shoulders. "Your friends are my friends."

Melody's little face beamed happily as she stood smiling.

"Wait right there, Mel."

Hallie opens the backdoor and tiptoed into the house. She ignored the urge to turn on the lights and not make any noise that will disturb Grandma and Grandpa's sleep. They would not understand what she must do.

Hallie picked out her favourite clothes to wear as she undresses her sweaty baseball uniform. She looks in the mirror, noticing she is quite tall for a 12-year-old tomboy. She slips on a violet t-shirt with black sleeves labelled 'Little League' in white letters, dark blue jeans and black all stars shoes. Then she puts on her favourite blue baseball cap over her long brunette hair. She didn't have time for a wash. Time was of the essence.

Hallie picked up her empty rucksack, putting in a flashlight with extra batteries, walkie-talkies, a watch and her old baseball. She also packed a blanket and a first aid kit for good measure.

Next, is the kitchen.

Hallie raided the fridge; making many tuna sandwiches she can carry and put them all in a lunchbox. Then she opened the cupboard and took bags of crisps and filled her water bottle with tap water. Hallie remembered the cooking matches in the kitchen drawer so she took the box and put it in her pocket for emergencies.

Finally, Hallie puts on a black jacket and carries her heavy rucksack on her shoulders. She looked back at Grandpa and Grandma's room, mentally saying goodbye to them even if they can't hear. She snuck out of the house, closed the back door and approached Melody. It was freezing outside as the cold nips their skin. They were ready to start their journey.

"Here take this," Hallie said, giving her sister a walkie-talkie. "If we get separated, talk to me on that. You won't be alone."

Melody nodded, as she crawled through the hole in the fence. Hallie reluctantly followed her out on the other side.

When she faced the dark forest, Hallie felt her heart racing. It was one of those fears she couldn't put on the tip of her tongue. Taking a deep breath, Hallie marched on through the tall trees and into darkness.

* * *

_**Soon...**_

Melody led her sister deeper and deeper into the forest until they arrived at a small clearing.

"We just have to wait." Melody said.

After a long while, Hallie checked her watch. It was almost midnight. Mom will freak out if she found out her two daughters have wandered outside alone at night. "We should go home," Hallie said, growing anxious. She had a bad feeling about all this.

"My friends will come! They promised!" Melody snapped impatiently.

"Mel, they're—" Hallie began.

Suddenly, three ghostly skulls appeared before them. They were each coloured blue, yellow and green. Their ethereal presence are like shimmering lights that lets out a soft sound from movement.

Startled, Hallie stumbled backward and fell on her buttocks. "G-g-g-ghosts!" she sputtered. Melody was unfazed as she laughed at her sister like it was a prank.

Hallie cupped her mouth out of shock when she saw the three alien entities approaching her and Melody. Her entire belief system was shaken as her heart raced madly.

"Who are you?" Hallie asked fearfully, standing up.

_"We are Vok." _the blue entity stated, _"We are of Nexus Zero."_

_Aliens?_ Hallie thought. _Real, actual aliens? Melody wasn't dreaming at all! But what are they doing here? What are their intentions?_

"These are my friends, Hallie." Melody said happily. "The ones I've told you about."

The Vok seem to ignore her as they focus their attention on Hallie. The ghostly beings start encircling and studying her, as she stood frozen on her spot.

_"Interesting specimen."_ the Blue Vok mused.

Hallie was breathing heavily. She fought the instinct to run so that she doesn't abandon her sister to these things. "What have you been doing with Melody?" she demanded.

The Yellow Vok spoke first._ "Your sister didn't fear us when we communicated with her through her dreams. It was only a matter of time until we meet at last."_

_"We Vok cannot risk being discovered." _the Green Vok explained._ "We have been observing you for a long time."_

"Why us?" Hallie asked.

_"You may be the one step closer to humanity's perfection, little one," _the Green Vok told them gently._ "You must come with us to Nexus Zero for further study."_

Hallie didn't like the sound of that. She assumed they wanted to spirit Melody away and experiment on her like a lab rat. They pretended to be her friend so she could trust them and be taken without fuss.

Hallie stood protectively in front of Melody. "We're not leaving." she told them bluntly. "You've chosen the wrong child. You cannot take her away from her home or her family."

_"We are Vok. We have the right to do that."_ the Blue Vok said arrogantly.

Melody looked confused and scared. She edged up against Hallie. She has tearstains on her cheeks.

Fear was replaced by anger.

"I don't care about what _you_ want!" Hallie shouted at them. "Go back to wherever you came from and leave us alone!"

_"Stubbornness cannot be tolerated," _the Blue Vok declared, dropping the friendly tone.

All of a sudden, a massive wormhole popped open and starts pulling every leaf twig and stone in like a vacuum cleaner. Even the sisters' heavy rucksacks were snatched from them and disappeared into the swirling vortex.

Hallie grabs the nearest tree and clung onto it for dear life. Her baseball cap was torn from her head. She strains to keep hold of Melody, who also lost her teddy bear. "Hallie!" she screams. Her feet were picked off the ground by the vortex.

"Hold on, Mel!" Hallie cried, as her sister starts to slip from her hand.

The wormhole's pull was growing stronger. The three entities were unaffected as they wait patiently for whoever will be inevitably sucked into the wormhole.

In those moments, Hallie couldn't resist the strain for much longer and lost her grip on her little sister's hand.

Hallie watches in horror as Melody is pulled into the vortex. "MELODY!" she screamed.

Melody made a high pitch scream, as she is blown further and further away.

Instinctively, Hallie lets go of the tree and reaches out for her sister. She hugged Melody into her arms. The last thing Hallie saw was her sister's face before tumbling into the wormhole and blacking out in the blinding light. It disappeared moments later.

_"This was not supposed to happen,"_ the Yellow Vok said in a rare emotional tone. _"I have… miscalculated the wormhole's trajectory when more than one human went through."_

_"If the humans are not transported to Nexus Zero, where are they?" _the Blue Vok demanded.

_"Or when?" _added the Green Vok.

_"Unknown."_ the Yellow Vok answered.


	4. Chapter Four - Lost In Time

**_Day 1…_**

Darkness…

Sound…

Feeling…

Something was pelting against her head repeatedly. It was cold and wet.

Hallie's senses slowly came back to her. She opens her eyes heavily to find herself lying face down against the cold, soggy mud. The air smelt fresh and damp.

Tap, tap, tap…

Hallie felt really numb. As she sits up, she failed to notice her hands are sinking through the soft mud. "Oh," she groans, rubbing her throbbing head. "Did I fall out of the bed again?"

Hallie felt like she was thrown in the spinning washing machine and then spat out. Something is continuously pelting against her face.

Tap, tap, tap…

Hallie blinked in confusion when her dizzy spell has faded. She was completely soaked through to the bone. She wiped away the mud that was stuck to her face.

It was a rainfall. It rained hard and fast.

Open-mouthed, Hallie realized she wasn't in her bedroom anymore. She stared up widely at the moonlit sky. This place looks nothing like the forest near the backyard. The tree trunks were 25 feet tall with large, dark green leaves. They are too wide to climb and the shallow roots are mostly covered in evergreen.

The black, thundering clouds can be seen through the thick branches.

Hallie is in the middle of a _jungle_! She stood up unsteadily and looked down at her wet and mud-stained clothes. Mom would kill her if she saw Hallie in this state. But how did this happen? Her memories are so disoriented that it was like waking up in a nightmare.

Suddenly, multiple animal noises were heard in the distance.

Hallie spun round frantically, gasping for breath. She doesn't even know where she is! It was so pitch dark. There could be anything out here: tigers, lions or bears waiting to eat her!

Then Hallie snapped out of her panicked state when she heard static noise erupt from inside her jacket pocket. _"Mommy?" _crackled a voice.

It was Melody. She was here too.

Hallie rummages in her front jacket pocket and pulls out her walkie-talkie. It went quiet as soon as she squeezed the button. "Hello?" she said, talking into the speakerphone. "Melody? Is that you?"

The walkie-talkie hissed with crackling static. _"Hallie? Do you read me, over?"_

Squeezing the button again, Hallie hollered in a panic tone. "Where are you?!"

Then Hallie releases the push-to-talk button to listen. It was clear at first but grew distorted and garbled. Something was interfering with the broadcasting signal.

_"I don't know!_" Melody cried._ "I can't… see our house… anywhere!"_

Hallie can barely make out what her sister was saying. She was losing her fast. Hallie has to keep Melody's hope alive so she doesn't get too hysterical.

"I'm gonna find you and we're going home together. Okay, over and out." Hallie promised.

Melody's voice continued sputtering out single, incoherent words until it was complete static.

Hallie switches the walkie-talkie off and slips it into her front jacket pocket. Her first priority now is to find Melody.

For some reason, Hallie couldn't tune in a radiowave because there's nothing to receive. It had to be this jungle interfering with the broadcast signal. The walkie-talkies had the only batteries so they must be preserved for emergencies only.

Right now, Hallie can hear nothing but the heavy rainfall in her ears.

Melody had to be around somewhere, in this dark, creepy jungle. Her little sister may be good at hide and seek but this is way beyond ridiculous.

Hallie forced her tensed feet to move, determined to relax. Mud sucked around her black, All-Star shoes. But as she turns her head, a huge tarantula is resting on her shoulder. She screams, like a victim in a horror movie. She was loud and long. It reacts with shock and starts crawling down her chest.

Hallie jumps back, frantically attempting to brush the spider off her. Adrenaline rushed to her head. She moves back in a blind panic when –

THUMP!

Hallie had tripped over something and fell on the wet, leaf-strewn ground. "Ow…!" she lets out of her quaking lips. Her eyes were wide. She was terrified and giddy. The tarantula brought back her arachnophobia she harbored since childhood. Seeing one is enough to make her skin crawl.

Hallie felt intense relief to see that the creepy crawly is gone. When she looked over her left side, she realized she had tripped over her rucksack. Her favorite blue baseball cap was resting there too. She picks it up and places on her wet head.

Feeling her way inside the rucksack, Hallie pulled out her flashlight. It should come in handy. She can hardly see without it. She slung on her heavy rucksack and starts marching into the jungle to find Melody, despite what may be out there.

Soon after passing a few bushes, Hallie continues to shout, hoping to find her sister. Hearing nothing but her echoes, she was beginning to lose hope when –

"Here! I'm here!" cried a familiar voice.

Following it, Hallie came across a figure of a solemn-faced sad kid sheltering alone a small cave ahead. Her face is tear-stained and sweaty. Her blonde hair shimmering under the moonlight.

"Melody!" Hallie cried happily.

Melody ran toward Hallie, capturing her into her arms. She never lets go of her sister's waist.

The Thorne sisters stood there hugging underneath the pouring rain for what felt like an eternity. They were so close to being separated which would have been devastating to both.

"You're so mean." Melody sobbed, "Why'd you leave me alone?"

"Don't be so dramatic." Hallie said. "I would never leave you, Melody."

"What happened to you? I heard you screaming."

"Oh." Hallie said, looking horribly embarrassed. "It's nothing."

"Was it the spiders again?" Melody giggled.

"No." Hallie said in an emphatic tone. Then she notices something is missing from her sister. "Where's your rucksack?" she asked.

"I lost it." Melody said meekly.

"You what?" Hallie gaped "I don't believe you!"

"Don't be mad," Melody cried, taking a step back. "I don't remember where I put my bag. It was gone when I woke up. I can't find my teddy bear Mr. Snuggles either."

Hallie sighs in frustration. Her sister's rucksack contained half of their supplies which is now more critical than ever. If the food and water is not used sparingly, they would perish.

"Right now, we should get out this rain. Let's take shelter in this cave." Hallie said, observing it behind her little sister.

Melody was about to step inside when Hallie waves her hand out to stop her.

Cupping her hands around her mouth, Hallie hollered: "HELLO!"

Her voice echoed in the tunnel. She had to make sure there are no bears inside. But she dared not tell her little sister that.

Hallie checked to see the cave was completely hollow but small which was perfect for their size. Their footsteps echo against the stony floor. Because they were soaking wet, it was utterly freezing inside the cave.

"Hallie, it's so cold." Melody gasped, shivering. She sat down against the cave wall, looking miserable and pale.

Hallie, too, was trembling from the cold. She was rubbing her arms to keep her temperature up. At this rate, they could catch pneumonia. There's no hospital within sight if they get sick and they don't have medicine. It would be serious for the both of them at their age.

There was a pile of dead leaves, twigs and a dry log near them.

Inspired by an obvious idea, Hallie smiled as she unslung her heavy rucksack and drops it on the floor. She rummaged through her front jacket pocket and pulled out the cooking matchbox. Luckily, the rain didn't soak it. She gathers up whatever rocks she could find and lined them around in a neat circle. She picks up the dry log and places it in the center. Then she sprinkles the dry leaves and sets the twigs in a 'tepee' shape within the stone circle. With a swipe, the match is lit up and Hallie carefully drops it onto the prepared leaf pit.

Hallie blows the ember gently as it spreads more and more through the firewood. Finally, it ignites as the flames blaze calmly through the crackling wood. It was low but enough to keep the girls warm. The cave was tranquil and relaxing. It was lit by the glow of fire. The smoke was billowing outside the cave exit so there's no harm for them either.

Soon, the rainfall begins to settle and has moved on to its next destination. Water was dripping from the stalactites, creating tiny echoes upon impact.

Hallie kneeled down and hovers her hands over to feel the heat. She takes off her black jacket and rests it on the floor to dry against the fire. Watching those cavemen documentaries on the TV has finally paid off.

Hallie went back to her backpack again, unzips it and pulls out a maroon blanket. It was wide as Superman's cape but soft as cotton. She sits down next to Melody, wrapping the blanket around her sister and herself.

Melody pouts at the idea of not sleeping in a bed again.

"Better than freezing to death, kiddo." Hallie explains.

The dancing fire was lullabying them to sleep. This time, Melody wasn't in the mood for a bedtime story. She was too scared. "Where's Mr. Snuggles?" she asked sadly. "I can't sleep without him."

"Pretend I'm Mr. Snuggles." Hallie said. "I'm sure we'll find him tomorrow."

This makes Melody feel better as she bares an innocent smile. She closes her eyes and lies against her big sister, hugging her tightly.

"I wonder where we are?" Hallie said aloud. "It's not like I can call 911."

Melody raised her eyes in confusion. "Don't you remember?" she asked.

Hallie searched her brain to find the right memories. She revisited the mental pictures in her mind, leading to when she went into the woods beyond the backyard with Melody. Upon reaching the clearing, things began to unravel and became clear as glass.

_The Thorne sisters waited too long in the clearing. It was way past their bedtime. Their grandparents will be worried about them if they find out._

_Hallie wanted to go home. She was scared for no apparent reason, perhaps that Mom will get angry and ground her for life._

_Melody insisted on waiting for her imaginary friends. Then…_

_The three alien entities appeared in a theatrical approach. They were each coloured blue, yellow and green._

_Hallie was terrified of them beyond measure, despite never meeting them before. They wanted to take Melody away, but Hallie wouldn't let them. She was so angry that she wanted to hit them. Then the wormhole appeared in the woods…_

Instead of escaping, the sisters somehow both ended up transported in this jungle that somewhat resembles Africa. Wherever it is, they are in the middle of nowhere and far away from home.

"Hallie?" Melody asked.

"What?"

"I want Mommy." Melody said softly. "I want her here with me."

"Me too, Melody." Hallie yawns, as she drifts to sleep. "Goodnight, kiddo."

The last thing they saw was the burning ember of the firewood in the darkness...


	5. Chapter Five - The Meteor

**_Day 2…_**

The weirdest and coolest thing happened to Hallie was waking up and opening her eyes, seeing nothing but black. Not even a shadow. It was nice and quiet in the cave as she stares at the ceiling. This must be what camping out feels like. She saw the light of the coming dawn beaming in from the entrance.

Hallie had hoped this was all a bad dream but she was wrong. She almost expected to be in her bedroom, get pulled out of bed by Mom and have eggs and bacon for breakfast. She checked her watch to see it had been ten hours since they arrived in this jungle.

Melody was snoring lightly, her arms still hugging Hallie round her chest. Last night, strange things were moving in the night. She was scared that the ghostly aliens had come back to take Melody away.

There was the dead fire pit with the charred firewood. It must have burnt out during the night. Hallie and Melody didn't have a clue to cook. Mom wouldn't dare let either of them touch the stove. They might burn the house down.

Grandpa and Grandma are bound to known she and Melody are missing. They must have told Mom and called the police to find them. But now she's not sure if they were even on the same continent.

Groaning, Hallie begins to rise from the stony floor, feeling stiff and sore. She gently lows Melody to lie down on the floor to sleep in their comfy blanket.

It is almost morning. The clouds are clear and the sun had not yet risen. The skylight was hurting her eyes so she used her hand to shield them. The storm last night had gone as quickly as it came. There was rainwater in the large leaves of the jungle plants and puddles outside.

Melody awakes and lets out a soft moan. She got to her feet, looking around the cave and stared at the jungle with her sister outside.

"Morning, Mel." Hallie said. "Slept good?"

"It's okay." Melody said, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Hungry and thirsty?"

"Yeah!" Melody said eagerly.

"Me too, kiddo." smiled Hallie.

Hallie moves her long brunette hair strands out of her face and tucks them behind her ears. She went over to her rucksack and rummages through it. She grabs and pulls out the large waterbottle and the lunchbox. She unbuckles the lunchbox's straps, revealing the crisps and tuna sandwiches.

"Here's breakfast!" Hallie announced, tossing a sandwich to her sister.

Melody catches it expertly. She unwraps the plastic and gladly starts munching down on her sandwich.

Hallie eats her sandwich and enjoys the taste of oily fish and butter. Then she unscrews the top of the waterbottle and takes a few gulps.

"Give it to me!" Melody whined.

Not in the mood for a fight, Hallie hands the bottle to Melody who snatches it out of her grasp.

Melody took a steady gulp of water out of the waterbottle. She drank it down so fast that she suddenly start coughing and sputtering. The excitement made her drink down the wrong hole. The water splattered over the stony ground, which absorbed into the rocky floor that left behind black marks.

"Hey! Don't be a pig." Hallie yelled. "That's the only water we've got so don't waste it, will ya?"

Melody looked ashamed and hands back the waterbottle. They were so hungry and miserable they can't afford to waste time and argue about it.

Hallie unpacks everything out from the rucksack to see what she has: two sandwiches, the large waterbottle and four crisp bags. They were the only supplies they have left so Hallie repacks the lunchbox, the blanket and the matchbox. She examines her old baseball and puts it in her jean pocket for safekeeping.

Hallie felt paranoid of losing her rucksack too. As an act of good faith, she gives the first aid kit to her sister. It has straps long enough for Melody's small size to wear. She slips it over her shoulder.

Hallie's black jacket was resting near the dead fire pit. It was dry, but still dirty. She slips it on for warmth. Her walkie-talkie and flashlight was still in the pockets.

"It's too dangerous stay here, Mel." Hallie said, zipping up her jacket. "Those aliens could still be after us."

"Who?" Melody asked, still munching her last piece of sandwich.

"You're so called 'friends'! Who else?" Hallie snapped angrily.

Melody looked insulted but didn't cry this time. "They're not my friends anymore. I didn't know this was going to happen to us." she said, raising her tone.

"Whatever, I'm sorry." Hallie said with regret. She turns around to avoid her sister's sad gaze.

After moments of silence, Melody unexpectedly hugged her big sister from behind. "You'll keep me safe, Hallie? You promise to keep me safe from the monsters?" she asked, looking frightened.

Hallie was uncertain, but determined to try with all her heart. "I promise, okay?" she said.

Then Melody makes a disgusted look and gently pushes away from her sister. "You stink," she complains, holding her nose.

"Yeah, I do." Hallie chuckles softly. She really does stink of sweat and mud. The bottom of their trousers is damp and dirty. Their shoes have mud clung to them.

The Thorne sisters both stared out at the dark jungle that awaits them.

"Do you think there are any people here?" Melody asked.

"I hope so. Maybe they can help us get out of this place."

Hallie pulls her heavy rucksack over her shoulders and begins marching out of the cave, followed by her little sister. "Let's find lunch." she said, before sniffing herself. "And hopefully a bath."

Hallie and Melody stepped slowly out of the cave and walked silently into the jungle. It was so dark below this canopy of tall trees that they can barely see without the flashlight. The jungle's vegetation was so dense they are suffocating in this trapped heat.

Melody had to take off her red jacket, exposing her clean yellow t-shirt and tie the sleeves round her waist. She was still pouting about her missing teddy bear throughout the journey. She is so nervous of her new surroundings that she clings onto Hallie like a duckling.

Hallie rubs the dripping sweat from her forehead. She walks through the masses of plants as she tries to keep to the soft path. It was so hot that she decided take off her black jacket too and tie the sleeves around her waist. The mosquitos were buzzing at her face, irritating the heck out of her. She starts lashing out to swat the flying pests away.

Hallie and Melody followed the soft path toward the exit of the jungle until they stumbled upon the most beautiful sunrise on the horizon. They sat down to rest and watch as its radiance mesmerized them.

Then they suddenly notice two meteors were falling from the deep blue sky. The twin meteors began separating in different directions and impacted the earth with flashes. Smoke billowed out from where they crashed.

Hallie and Melody felt the ground shook from a distance. The birds screeched and flew away from the jungle treetops. This snapped them out of the zone.

"Cool!" Hallie mused with awe.

Melody was still staring dreamily. Then she begins dragging her sister forward. "Come on! Let's take a look! We might find a souvenir to take home!" she said excitedly.

"I don't know, Mel." Hallie said uncertainly. "What if the rock's radioactive?"

"Come on, Hallie," Melody pleads, putting on her famous puppy look. "Pretty please?"

Hallie hates to admit it, but she really needs to loosen up and have fun. They might find people there to take them home. "Yeah, you're right." she said.

"Yay!" Melody cheered. She shot her arms out and dashes toward where the meteor has landed. The nearest one was in the smoky mountains not too far from where the girls are standing.

"Hey, wait up!" Hallie laughed, chasing after her sister.

* * *

**_Later..._**

It was a long walk toward where the meteor had crashed. Every step up this hill was a growing agony for their legs.

Hallie had to catch her breath due to low air high up in these mountains. She pinches her nose and blows through her ears to stop them popping.

"I'm tired." Melody complained. "Can't we take a break? My feet hurt."

Melody tried her best to keep up with her sister's pace. But after walking and climbing for ages, Melody was panting heavily. They had to stop and rest for five minutes. They kept this up for every 500 steps for about six times before finally reaching past the mountains.

Upon reaching the end of the path, Hallie and Melody caught the view of an enormous barren wasteland lined with lava pits. They could see the smoking crater a few hundred meters below.

Despite the danger, Hallie and Melody continue to travel to reach the meteor. They were passing into the point of no return. Soon, it grew very warm. Hallie felt the intense heat burning her up. She wipes the sweat from her forehead and tries catching her breath.

Melody took a big gulp out of the water bottle. She was so thirty and hot.

"Watch where you step, Mel." Hallie warned, holding her sister's hand. They walked across the smoking wasteland for about 15 minutes. It was later they realize the sun is now halfway in the sky. They must have been walking for hours.

"Can we stop for a break?" Melody whined. "I'm tired."

Then Hallie immediately halts to listen around for something. "Shh, Shh!" she hissed. "Do you hear that?"

Melody stops walking, looking confused at her sister. "I don't hear-" she began.

"There!" Hallie shouted, anticipating for action.

It was then Hallie and Melody heard a high-pitched sound emanating in the air. The ringing in their ears grew louder as it moves closer and closer toward them.

Suddenly, the Thorne sisters stood frozen in fear as spinning purple rays were washing over them from above.

Melody snaps her eyes closed. Her whining grew louder as she and Hallie reacts upon the tingling sensations from contacting the purple waves. Hallie too was scared but refuses admit it.

After blinking for two long minutes, the flashes of light and whirring sound abruptly ceased.

Relieved that it's over, Hallie releases a long, deep breath.

Melody suddenly snuggles her sister for comfort. "I'm scared." she said, burying her face against Hallie's violet-black t-shirt. "I want to go home now."

"I agree for once, Melody." Hallie said. "We should-"

Hallie stops in mid-sentence when she spots something hovering in the air. It was a drone. It is humming.

"Wait a minute." Hallie said, staring down at her sister. "Nature preservers use aerial photography to take photographs of the most hazardous places from a distance. There might be someone out there who can help us."

But Melody wouldn't budge. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea." she said uneasily.

"Can't go back now. We've come too far." Hallie said, dragging Melody along by her hand.

After about an hour or so, Hallie saw the smoking wreck where the meteor had crashed down below. She and Melody were overjoyed and looked on eagerly.

But the Thorne sisters were in for a surprise because upon closer inspection in the center of the lava pits, the meteor wasn't a meteor at all. It was a spaceship. It looked like a twisted version of a fighter ship from Star Trek. Apparently, when the spaceship crashed, it had bent in half. One of its wings was missing. It must have snapped off during the fall because it's not within sight. The impact has broken the ground with lava-filled cracks around the ship. It is surprising that the entire contraption has yet to sink into the molten lava.

Hallie was more anxious than disappointed. She quickly dashed down near the cliffs to get a closer look. Soon, Melody managed to join her and sit down next to her.

The spaceship's hull has cannonball-sized holes through its green framework.

_It was shot down? But by who? _Hallie thought curiously.

The irritating buzz of wings and squawking began hurting their ears. They couldn't pinpoint where the noise is coming from.

Suddenly, a red pterodactyl and a giant wasp pop out overhead of them. The hearts of Hallie and Melody raced madly. They were scared, but not enough to scream.

The red pterodactyl and the giant wasp were flying out all over the wrecked spaceship. Below, there were spikes stuck out in the ground like twisted thorns of corruption.

Hallie ducked down, dragging her sister down too. They lied there frozen, pretending to be invisible under the false hope they wouldn't be seen. Peaking down the cliffs, they spotted man-sized spider crawling out of the entrance.

Hallie broke out in a cold sweat and was at a loss for breath. Looking at a spider, even a large one, is enough to make her sick. She cannot bear the thought of living in a world filled with giant spiders.

Deep within the entrance, a velociraptor also emerges outside the darkness. It was clutching and examining a golden disc. "No, no, NO!" it snarled. "It's all wrong! This cannot be Earth!"

_Talking animals?_ Hallie thought with shock. _I've must have gone crazy!_

Then the raptor turned around to face the crashed ship's entrance and shouted: "Megatron, you FAILED! Not only did you fail to destroy the Maximals when you had the chance, you failed to bring us to the right PLANET! We stole the Golden Disc for nothing! You IDIOT!" He then throws the golden disc into the ship's entrance, clanking noisily.

Melody coughs uncontrollably when she inhaled some of the black smoke billowing from the ship. They struggle to keep their heavy breathing quiet.

A purple T-Rex, twice its normal size, slowly stomped out from the dark entrance. His appearance was menacing, even from a distance. "I beg your pardon? What did you call me?" he asked in a soft but dangerous tone.

"You heard!" the raptor shouted. "You are an idiot and an incompetent leader, and I am taking over! Dinobot: terrorize!"

The velociraptor roared as it marvelously transformed like a butterfly and into a robot warrior. He still resembles his raptor-like features. He pulls his spinning, spiky sword and prepares to duel. "I challenge you to battle, Megatron. The winner shall lead the Predacons, and the loser shall be destroyed!"

But the one called Megatron did not change his form or his behavior. He seemed so…confident and cool. "Ahh, you're so impulsive, Dinobot." he said, turning around to go into the ship's entrance. "Brave…but misguided."

"Do you accept my challenge?" Dinobot asked.

"Ah-hahaha…" the purple saurian laughed, taking a few steps forward. "There's more to being a leader than simple courage. Well, there's cleverness and cunning as well."

Then he looks over his shoulder. "Isn't that right, Scorponok?" he asked with a sly smirk.

Megatron stomps out of the way, revealing a giant scorpion-like robot. When it opens up its right claw, a missile fired out and swiftly blasts the surprised raptor warrior away. He had disappeared over the horizon of the smoky mountains.

"Loser." replied Megatron.

The Thorne sisters moved back from the cliffs; silent and shocked from what they had just witnessed.

"Not fair. He cheated." complained Melody.

Hallie wasn't in the mood to meet any aliens after her first encounter. She knew these transforming robots are a threat and the girls must find a way to get home elsewhere. "Who cares? Let's just get out of here before they see us!"

Before the Thorne sisters could slip away unnoticed, Melody accidentally slips her foot through the crumbling cliff. "My foot!" she cried. "I can't… its stuck!"

Panicked, Hallie grabs hold of her sister's small hands and began pulling as hard as she could. Melody was stuck fast with thick roots tangled around her ankle. Hallie grunted as she continues pulling Melody back and forth like a seesaw.

Melody was struggling to pull her leg free. She was too terrified to bend down and rip off the roots. She was on the verge of crying. "Come on, Hallie, hurry!" she cried, whimpering.

With one final pull, Hallie yanked her little sister free. She and Melody stumbled through the empty air before steadying themselves. They laughed at their freedom. But dread strikes as the loose rocks from the cliff fell and noisily hit the ground below.

"Who goes there!" shouted a voice.

The Predacons were alerted to their presence.

Hallie and Melody Thorne immediately made a run for it. Megatron dispatches his crew to seek out and investigate who was spying on them.


	6. Chapter Six - Sisters in Peril

Escaping the crash site, Hallie and Melody ran like crazy as if their pants were on fire. This made it more unbearable for them. They were boiling hot. They soon made toward the edge of the smoky mountains and ran downhill which gave them more haste toward the towering, rock formation below.

As soon as they reach the bottom, Hallie and Melody started to slow down their steps and carefully because of the cramp pain in their legs. They kept at until they found a large, mature tree with elongated roots above the soil. They crawled into the small hole underneath to hide out of the heat and danger. Hallie is nervous and wary of webs and spiders.

"Did we lose them?" Melody panted.

"I think so." Hallie said breathlessly.

Hallie pulled her blue cap over her head. Her heavy rucksack was wearing her out. She considers dumping it but she couldn't risk losing the only supplies left.

Now Hallie was keeping watch for the Predacons. She is feeling very apprehensive about the giant spider, perhaps a tarantula being in the area. It gives her the shivers thinking about it. She is paranoid that it's going to spring out and eat her. She gags, placing her hands over her mouth. She almost vomited for a moment. She misses the reassuring comfort of her loving mother and grandparents.

"Okay, Melody," Hallie whispers, peaking over the roots. "Let's wait ten minutes before we-"

Then Hallie paused mid-sentence when she heard nothing but silence. Her little sister is never this quiet.

"Melody?" Hallie asked hesitantly.

As soon as she turned around, Hallie saw that Melody was not with her. She is standing out on a grove, picking a patch of vibrant, purple orchids near the shrubbery bushes.

"Melody!" Hallie shouted, standing up. But she hits her head against the wooden ceiling.

"Ow!" Hallie groans, rubbing her sore head.

Blinded by anger, Hallie stomped her way toward her sister. She silently loomed over Melody who didn't notice her sister until she heard her heavy breathing and turned around.

Stunned, Melody just looked at her blankly. "I…I…I didn't mean…" she stammers.

Hallie grabs Melody's shoulders and starts shaking her back and forth, shouting: "Doesn't your life mean anything to you? You could have been killed!"

Hallie was angry with her sister for endangering herself like that. They cannot stay without getting caught by these creatures from the crashed spaceship.

Melody sniffled and covered her eyes, sobbing aloud. "I had to pee." she said

"Well, next time ask!" Hallie yelled. "If you make one more mistake, we're in trouble."

Melody hiccups and is on the verge of crying. "I want Mr. Snuggles!" she demanded.

"Stop whining. I'm sick of it." Hallie grumbled, trying to rub out a headache.

Now Melody was more upset than ever. "When we get home, I'm telling Mom on you!" she shrieked.

Hallie exasperates in frustration. "For once in your life, will you just…!" she began.

Before they could argue further, Hallie and Melody hear something rustling behind the broken bushes beside them.

Slowly, Hallie and Melody turn their heads to face the same direction.

"Melody, don't move." Hallie said slowly.

Melody did what she was told. Either way, she would still be in trouble.

Slowly Hallie took a few steps forward, picking up a stick to use as a weapon. She pushes their way through the shrubbery bushes and finds a round, stripy shape lying motionless on the rocky outcrop. It was the same velociraptor that was blown away by that horrible scorpion robot.

"Is it dead?" Melody asked nervously.

Hallie pokes her stick at Dinobot's limp body, unaware he's still alive.

Suddenly, the velociraptor leaps up and snapped his snarling teeth at Hallie. She was only inches away as she fell on her backside. "Who the Pit are you?!" demanded the angry raptor.

Melody screams in terror as she hastily backs off.

Hallie was too stunned with shock to speak. Her trembling hands were still around the stick. She couldn't believe the dinosaur was actually talking! "This is insane!" she said, "I don't understand. This can't be real!"

Dinobot was just as shocked as they are. His claws clicking on the ground as vertical eyes gazed at them, studying them. "Impossible…" he exclaims with a snort. "You _are_ humans! What are you doing on this planet?"

"G-get away from us!" Hallie stammers, taking a step back. "Whatever you are, you're not getting it from us!"

Before Dinobot could get answers, Hallie and Melody made a run for it by swerving past him and ended up going down further into the rocky formation.

The velociraptor was giving chase, but then it stumbled and fell down. It must be too injured to do any running. Hallie is not taking chances.

Hallie and Melody ran faster to pick up the pace but the unbearable cramps in their legs were still there. This made it difficult for them to run any further.

After jumping over boulders, Hallie and Melody lost their footing and went sliding down the sloping rockslide. They used all their strength to dig their fingers into the dirt to slow down.

Eventually, the Thorne sisters reached the bottom and were stranded in a clearing where they could see no other paths but large rocks standing in the way. They frantically struggle to choose a way out. They were completely lost!

"That was a real dinosaur!" Melody exclaims innocently. "I didn't know they could talk!"

"That's 'cause it's _not _real raptor, Mel!" Hallie snapped back. "I've seen enough Jurassic Park movies to know the difference!"

Groaning, Hallie looked at hers and Melody's red raw hands. They were bleeding slightly after their vain attempt to slow down their descent by grabbing and letting the loose pebbles scratch them.

Through the crevasse, Hallie noticed there was a tree with hanging vines standing out in the middle of a great field of grass. It was too exposed. They were more likely to get caught out in the open since there are no hiding spots. But they could hide behind the tree if they run.

"I'm tired of running." Melody complained.

"We don't even know where we are!" Hallie shouted, annoyed by her headache. "If those things catch us, they will do worse than scare us."

"Like what?"

As Hallie and Melody try to catch their breath, something overshadows them. Fear was spreading up their numb legs.

Slowly, Hallie and Melody turn to look over their shoulders to see what is behind them. Their fear had suddenly increased ten-fold.

Hallie swallowed hard as she watches the giant, purple-grey scorpion emerged from the rocky archway. It was snapping its pincers in anticipation. Its terrifying tail could deliver painful, poisonous strikes.

Hallie and Melody were both horror-struck at such an unnatural creature. They slowly back away, looking around for the way out.

Before Hallie could make a move, the scorpion's claw shot out and seized her rucksack that is attached to her. Hallie screams as she was dragged across the dirt kicking and screaming before being lifted off the ground.

Fear clutched in her heart when Hallie realized that the giant scorpion has shifted and transformed into his robot form, still resembling his scorpion features. His optics tuned into her eyes and she could feel his fearsome gaze.

"NO!" Hallie screams.

Hallie was thrashing her fists at the empty air, missing every swing. She was held up like prey trapped in a hanging net. Her shouting and flailing limbs were futile.

"Quit squirming!" Scorponok demanded viciously.

"Run, Melody!" Hallie screams, looking down at her sister.

Hesitantly, Melody had to make a run for her life.

Suddenly, a giant wasp flew in from the sky and blocked the crevasse, preventing Melody from escaping. It corners her against the rocky wall. She whimpers from its loud buzzing wings and instinctively covers her head.

"A BEE!" Melody shrieks with terror. She slowly inched back. "IT'S A BEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

"Little fleshy-bot's high frequency is hurting Wazzzpinator's ears!" Waspinator complained.

"Keep an optic on the little brat." Scorponok huffed before pressing his comlink. "Megatron. This is Scorponok. I found the intruders who were spying on us." he reported.

_"Is the accursed Maximals?" _Megatron asked.

"No, Megatron, sir," Scorponok admitted. "They're humans. Two little girls."

_"Humans? On this planet?" _Megatron mused. _"So Tarantulas was right all along."_

"I can't believe it either, sir."

_"Find out how they arrived. They could prove useful." _Megatron ordered, terminating the link.

With the conversation over, Scorponok paid his attention to Hallie who is dangling from his claw. He began the interrogation. "How did you arrive on this planet?" he asked.

Completely scared, Hallie wanted to get as far away as possible from these freaks. If she tells them, she and Melody would cease to be useful and be killed anyway. For all Hallie knew, these Predacons could be associated with those alien things in the woods back home.

"I-I-I don't know!" stammered Hallie.

"Don't lie to me." Scorponok said. "There are no humans on this planet. You're a long way from your Earth."

"Why should I believe you?" Hallie asked.

Scorponok looked annoyed by her question. "Because no one on Cybertron has been in contact with humans for 300 years." he said in an emphatic tone.

Hallie was confused. _Earth has already been contact with aliens?_ She thought. _It couldn't be._ _When has something like that happened? Are we ever gonna go home to find out?_

"Listen here." Scorponok warned, leaning closer to her face. "I ask the questions here. Now answer them. How did you arrive on this planet? Where is your ship? Did the Maximals send you to spy on us?"

Again, Hallie stubbornly refuses to say anything.

Scorponok was already impatient. "Tell me the truth or I'll force it out of you," he demanded, snapping his other pincer near her face. The missile inside is threatening to blast her head off.

Despite the danger, Hallie narrowed her eyes at him. "Go ahead." she said bravely. "I won't go down without a fight."

Melody's eyes widened. "No!" she cried fearfully, "Leave us alone!"

Scorponok's attempts to interrogate Hallie, however, has failed as he is distracted by Melody's screams. "Waspinator, shut her up." he ordered with frustration.

Melody begins to wail louder. She moves in a circular motion to keep a distance from the giant wasp approaching her.

"You're gonna talk," Scorponok said, pointing his pincer at Melody. "Or the little brat is going to answer for me."

Waspinator hovers closer toward Melody. Her terrified shrieking and crying made their audio receptors really hurt.

Overwhelmed, Hallie bent her head down in shame at her failure to protect Melody. Then she noticed how dirty her black all-star shoes are.

While the giant scorpion is distracted by Melody's shrieks, Hallie bent her legs up to her chest and rips the dried mud off her shoes. Using her baseball arm, Hallie threw the dirt into the beast's sensitive eyes. He screams in agony, attempting to claw the dirt out.

Hallie slips free out of her rucksack straps, landing on her feet like a cat and making a run for it. She had to leave her bag behind. She sprints toward Melody, seizing her hand and dragging her toward the hanging tree outside the crevasse.

The Thorne sisters were so small that they slipped past underneath the confused giant wasp.

_"GET THEM!" _shouted Scorponok, still blinded by the dirt.

_"FLESHY-BOTS MAY RUN, BUT CANNOT HIDE!" _buzzed the giant wasp, twitching._ "WAZZZPINATOR WILL NOT FAIL! WAZZZPINATOR WILL PLEASE MEGATRON!"_

Passing through the canyon crevasse, Hallie and Melody were running for their lives across dead lands until they made it to the long, grassy plains. There were also a few trees and smaller rocks scattered apart in the distance.

The great, blue summer sky stretches out on the horizon and the girls were surrounded by numerous mountains. Two snowcapped mountain peaks stood out from the rest. They reminded Hallie of home in Canada.

Hallie ran so hard that her legs are ready to fall off. Her heart was beating like a drum in her chest. She was unaware her little sister was further behind and struggling to keep up.

Suddenly, Melody trips and falls over on the ground. When she tried to stand up, her left ankle was suddenly flaring with pain and she went down again. She cries so hard, frightened of getting left behind to die. "Hallie, help!" she whimpers.

Out of breath, Hallie skids to a halt and worriedly runs back to her little sister. "Come on, Mel! We've must go!" she said urgently.

"I – I can't!" Melody cried, struggling to stand up.

Hallie tries helping her sister up when she stumbled and fell down again.

"My ankle hurts so much!" Melody cried.

Hallie understood this. Despite the dangerous situation they're in, she refuses to leave her sister behind.

Melody places her arm over her sister's back, hoping along beside her toward the tree. Hallie uses her stick to keep them both from falling. They took cover in the shade from the boiling sun and rested on the blanket of soft grass. From the faraway distance of the smoky mountains, Hallie and Melody must have travelled over 100 yards of land. Now was not the time to keep points on a record board.

"Let me see." Hallie said, taking her sister's red shoe off

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!" Melody whimpered.

"Stop whining."

Hallie examines Melody's small ankle more gently. It was swollen and throbbing, although there was no sign of broken bones, much to her relief.

"Is it bad?" she asked worriedly.

By the looks of Melody's ankle, it reminded Hallie of the time when she twisted her ankle when she was nine during baseball practice. Mom patched her up and told her not run.

"No, it's not broken." Hallie sighed. "But it'll be sore for a few days so you can't walk."

With no time to lose, Hallie unzipped the first aid bag on Melody. She pulled out the fresh long bandage and begins wrapping it round her sister's ankle who whined painfully. Then Hallie clips on a pin so that the tight bandage will hold in place.

"Better?" Hallie asked, putting the red shoe back on.

But then Hallie noticed Melody was pointing out in front of them. The colour had drained from her face and her arm was trembling.

There were two cheetahs standing there two meters away, creeping toward them. They were in a pouncing position, ready to have two little humans for a tasty dinner.

Reaching into her pocket, Hallie leans her arm back and threw her old baseball at them. This act missed the two cheetahs, but they were frightened away as they fled past the girls.

Relieved, Hallie punched the air in victory. "Yeah!" she shouted.

Then the Thorne sisters gazed in fear and alarm. A third cheetah appeared at the scene as soon as the other two fled. It didn't run or snarl at them. It just stood there looking like a fool. It actually looks not feral, but surprised to see them.

The cheetah then looked down at Hallie's baseball that's just lying in the dirt. It rests its paw over it as if examining the object. Then it looks up to stare at the girls again.

"What are you staring at?" Hallie demanded.

"Whoa, ultra-gear!" the cheetah said with excitement, which surprised the sisters. "You're humans! I've heard amazing stories, but I never thought I would actually meet you, let alone on an alien planet! Just wait until Optimus hears this!"

Then Cheetor analyzed the words on Hallie's t-shirt. "What's Little League?" he asked with confusion. "Is that a fighter squad or something?"

"No." Hallie replied flatly.

"You can talk too?" Melody asked.

"Yeah. I'm Cheetor." He greeted. "What are your names?"

Immediately, Hallie pulls out her stick and posed to defend herself. "You stay away from us!" she yelled.

Cheetor looked confused. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked.

Before anyone could say, Hallie and Melody heard a familiar buzzing sound in the air. They looked behind them to see an unpleasant sight has unnerved them. A giant wasp hovered down near the tree above, approaching them. The Thorne sisters were whiter than a sheet, especially since Melody is allergic to bees.

"It found us!" Hallie exclaims, backing up slowly.

Cheetor looked up at the giant wasp and doesn't react to it as a threat. "Hey! What…? It's just a big bug! The way you two react, that's no natural lifeform…"

Then he realized the truth. "…And if we're talking unnatural lifeforms, then we gotta be talking about just one thing: Robots in Disguise! Cheetor: Maximize!"

The cheetah leaps into the air and starts somersaulting over Hallie and Melody. A robot crashed down in front of them. They panned up to see Cheetor had transformed into a 12-foot robot with his cheetah-like features. He was carrying a rifle-looking weapon. "Time for this cat to pounce!" he declared, opening fire at the giant wasp.

With his attention diverted, Waspinator is dodging the explosive projectiles with great velocity.

The noises had reverberated over the once quiet grass plains as efficiently as thunderclaps.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ignited flashes of yellow lights Hallie and Melody's eyes followed by an incredible loud noise. This hurts their ears and they momentarily lose their hearing.

"Mzzzzz! Wazzzpinator under attack!" the bug buzzed angrily. "Wazzzpinator engage enemy!"

Cheetor stops firing to reload his alien weapon.

"Wazzzpinator, TERRORIZEZZZZZZZ!"

Before their eyes, Hallie and Melody saw the giant wasp had transformed mid-air into a flying, battle-armored robot with its bug features such as wings and stinger.

Waspinator retaliates as he pulls out his own deadly weapon and starts firing back.

Around a second later, multiple blinding flashes were led by explosions and the rumblings of the shockwaves that was blowing away everything in its path.

The violent gusts of wind from the explosion hits Hallie, knocking her over. She could feel the heat. Clouds of dust where the explosions hit rose from the ground, billowing outwards.

Using the chaos as cover, Hallie rose to her feet. She was confused because an alien is trying to save their lives. But the only thing that matters to her now was to get her sister far away from here. "Climb on my back!" Hallie screamed, turning around.

Although confused, Melody obeyed as she wraps her arms round her big sister's neck and legs round her waist. Hallie gave her a piggyback ride, as her unsteady legs shake to keep steady. Melody was a little heavier than she looked but Hallie didn't complain.

Hallie ran away, scampering past the talking cheetah robot.

"Hey, wait!" cried Cheetor. But his words fell on deaf ears. The human girls ignored him and grow distance.

Hallie kept on running across the field of grass until she and her sister reach a drier, rougher land. It was so hard and rough that Hallie struggles to keep her balance.

The Thorne sisters can still hear the painful, ringing noise in their ears. There was a multitude of bombs exploding behind right behind them.

"Mel!" Hallie cried, feeling the crush of her sister's arms. "Do you see them chasing us?"

Melody observed briefly over her shoulder and said: "Cheetor seems okay. The wasp monster is firing laser beams out his eyes!"

"Good," Hallie said, panting. "That means they're too busy fighting each other."

Then Melody shouted: "That Cheetor is now following us. And that wasp monster is chasing after him!"

After running so far, Hallie came across a deep gorge sloping downward. It's not too steep so it shouldn't be too difficult for…

Suddenly, the world is spinning for Hallie. She was feeling nauseous. There was a throbbing pain at the back of her head. Her vision is going black. It felt like she was being forced to sleep.

_"Hallie?"_ Melody asked, barely audible.

Hallie struggles to keep her balance, especially coping with carrying Melody. As her lightheadedness became worse, Hallie stumbled forward and fainted, dropping Melody as they both fell and tumbled down the steep slope until their bodies collided with the rough bottom. Then it all goes silent.

As she sleepily opens her eyes, Hallie winces as the sunlight hurts her. She was unable to think clearly. She can hear the wind but she cannot see or respond. The slopes above were distorted and blurry, almost dreamlike. Eventually, her sight clears up and her headache fades after a couple of minutes.

Dazed and confused, Hallie found herself lying on the ground, coming to realize she was still alive. She felt the smooth rock with her hands. She doesn't know how she got there or what had happened to her. She had no sense of time having passed.

After a few seconds, Hallie regained everything back. Her mouth was dry and sticky. She was really thirsty. This probably explains why she collapsed. She didn't drink enough water. She has become really dehydrated from running vigorously for miles, especially in this hot weather.

Hallie rubs her sweaty, dry head. She felt weak like waking up from a deep sleep. She tries to sit up. But then her injured body jolted with pain and was forced to lie back down again. She wanted to cry but there were no tears. She slowly lifted her head to peak over her side.

Melody was lying next to her.

"Oh, no." Hallie gasped. The weakness soon wore off as she suddenly crawls over to her sister. Her aching body was wobbling unsteadily. "Melody! Are you alright?" Hallie groaned.

Melody was severely shaken. Her blonde hair strands partially covering her faces and her blue eyes twinkling in the sunlight. The dirt clung to her sweaty face. The fall must have scraped her because she is bleeding a little. "Can we go home now?" she whimpers.

Hallie observed a nearby pile of rocks as a good place hide for cover. She drags Melody behind the pile of rocks. They were in no condition to take another step. Their bodies are bruised and exhausted.

Melody was resting her back against the rock cover, wincing in pain. "My ankle! It hurts so much!" she complained, examining her swollen ankle.

Up above the slope, there were sudden bursts of lights followed by Hallie and Melody silently hearing the harsh sound of gunfire. The flashing explosions were moving closer and closer toward them.

Hallie peers over the rocks. "Be quiet, Melody!" she shouted over the gunfire.

As expected, Hallie heard heavy, frantic footsteps above. As soon as Cheetor came into view and reached the top, he was blasted off his feet. He fell into the river-shaped slope and landed in front of the pile of rocks.

Hallie and Melody both screamed.

Waspinator was flying ominously above them. He was aiming that missile gun at Cheetor.

Noticing the girls hiding nearby, Cheetor stood as their defender and rested against the rock pile. Before Cheetor could fire back at Waspinator, his gun suddenly stutters and shortens out. "Of all the time for a quasar jam!" he snarled, shaking and whacking it.

"What are we going to do?" Melody asked, fearing for the end.

Then, the Thorne sisters hear stomping noises on their left. They turn around and they saw a gorilla, a rhino and a rat have arrived above them on the slope twice their normal size.

Hallie wonders if they are friends or foes. But her questions were answered when the gorilla shouted: "Cheetor! Get yourself and the children to cover! We'll whack that pesky Predacon on our own!"

Before anything could happen, a cool, malevolent voice was heard on the other side of the slope. It was that purple T-Rex again whom the tarantula and scorpion accompany. Overhead was the red pterodactyl who is flying alongside with the giant wasp called Waspinator. From a distance, the fear wasn't too bad.

"Oh! I wouldn't count on that, Maximals! Noooo." Megatron said, shaking his head. Then he starts laughing. "For I believe you'll soon have… How should I put it? Difficulties of your own. Yesss."


	7. Chapter Seven - The Rescue

Hallie looked at both sides with fearful suspicion: the Maximals and the Predacons. While her sister is keeping watch, Melody was too busy fussing her twisted ankle. But she overhears the argument, which made her more afraid.

"We don't have to do this, Megatron!" Optimus Primal pleaded. "There has been peace between the Maximals and Predacons for centuries! Why start this up again?"

Megatron chuckled at his foe's pathetic attempt to persuade him. The Predacons just smirked in agreement with their leader. "Peace." he spat. "Perhaps on your side, Maximal scum, yesss, but not on ours! Permit me to inform you that an enemy that appears peaceful…may in fact be biding its time!"

Meanwhile, Cheetor was still fiddling with his gun until the trigger mechanism locks back into place. "Finally…" he said.

Megatron doesn't seem to notice the cat's outburst because he was too busy monologuing. "We Predacons have never gone back on our goal of galactic conquest! Noooo!" Megatron continues his speech. "We have merely waited for the right moment to STRIKE!"

Cheetor has the opportunity to shoot. He popped out from behind the boulder, his weapon trained on Megatron. "You mean like THIS?!" he shouted, firing at the prattling T-Rex.

This knocks Megatron backward. He roars out in fury, but recovers immediately. His synthetic flesh doesn't seem singed from the blast.

"CHEETOR!" shouted the gorilla.

Megatron chuckles calmly, looking down at Cheetor.

"Ahh," Megatron sighs with satisfaction. "A treacherous, under-handed sneak attack. Oh-ho-ho, I like you, pussycat, yesss… But it shall avail you not! Noooo!"

Then the Predacon leader noticed the Thorne sisters hiding behind the rock pile below. Hallie and Melody flinched at this.

"Ah! So the reports are true." Megatron said with a gleeful tone. "An unlikely pair of humans. The same humans that was seen near our base and tried to escape, no doubt spying."

The Maximals, including Cheetor, were staring down at Hallie and Melody with disbelief and shock. They shrank back behind the rock pile. No one had spied on the Predacons and made it out alive before, let alone children.

"Apparently clever enough to outwit my second in command who has failed me." Megatron said, berating Scorponok for his sloppiness.

Scorponok looked angered by his humiliation. He stared at Hallie, scowling for revenge. She swallowed nervously.

Megatron continued his banter. "However, I would gladly take the humans off your hands, Optimus Primal, seeing they are not your responsibility."

"Leave them alone, Megatron." Optimus warned, "If you want the girls, you'll have to go through me."

Megatron lets out a grin, eager to do the challenge. "I can arrange that. For now the power gauntlet has been cast! Predacons: TERRORIZE!"

"Do it! MAXIMIZE!" Optimus Primal said to the Maximals.

"Tarantulas: terrorize!" the purple tarantula cackled, transforming into a hideous-looking spider bot with its green legs on his back.

"Rhinox: maximize!" shouted the rhino, roaring and changing into a muscular, brown-green bot.

"Scorponok: terrorize!" shouted the scorpion, snapping his pincers as he transforms into robot mode.

"Rattrap: maximize!" screeched the rat, bending and shifting his outer shell into a tall, rat featured robot.

"Terrorsaur: terrorize!" shrieked the pterodactyl, changing mid-flight into a winged, red-armored robot.

"Megatron: terrorize!" roared the t-rex, twisting and transforming into a fierce, evil-looking warrior.

"Optimus Primal: maximize!" shouted the gorilla, his lower half rotating to the front as he shifted into a muscular, armored knight.

As a menacing and imposing figure, Megatron looked ready to kill anyone within sight.

_He looks way uglier than his minions._ Hallie observes.

"NOW! OBLITERATE THEM!" Megatron ordered angrily.

Both sides transform, and the battle is joined. In that instant, Terrorsaur made the first fire and every Predacon followed in pursuit.

Megatron was firing massive purple lasers out of his t-rex head cannon.

The one called Tarantulas was using his spider legs as machine guns. They release a sharp, rapping sound repeatedly. _RATATATAT! RATATATAT! RATATATAT!_

The Maximals immediately dove for cover to avoid the heavy barrage. Optimus stood his ground, firing missiles at his enemies. But eventually he was forced to join his comrades.

Hallie watches the ear-splitting battle happen. Melody was too scared to look as she cowers with her arms over her head. Violence always scared her. They were stuck in the middle of a fight the girls didn't choose to be involved in.

Terrorsaur and Waspinator were firing from above, making Hallie and Melody's chances for survival slim. In an act of vengeance, Scorponok fires a missile at the girls which exploded next to them.

Cheetor clutches his weapon closely. He indicates for the girls to follow him up the slope.

But Hallie and Melody refused to go with him. They were too scared to move and weren't too keen on the idea of going anywhere with him. Melody breaks down in tears and clings tightly onto Hallie.

Then Scorponok fires a missile directly at Cheetor, intercepting his attempt to escape. He was blasted back against the rock pile which made it scatter into a hundred more pieces. He landed on his front.

Hallie and Melody both screamed at this.

Then a boulder falls and ends up pinning down on Cheetor's leg. "Ahh…I'm stuck!" he cried, unable to pull himself free.

Cheetor is trapped and in deep trouble. He saved the girls before when he could've just let them be.

The Maximals must have heard his distress but they are not out yet to save him? What was taking them so long? It had to be these explosions raining all around them.

Unable to stand it anymore, Hallie pushes a protesting Melody aside and impulsively steps out behind the rock pile to save Cheetor. She leans her weight against the boulder trapping him and began pushing. Now it is her turn to return the favor since it's the right thing to do.

"What are you doing? Get to cover!" Cheetor said.

Stubborn, Hallie ignored his pleas. She strains to push the rock with all her strength, stretching her legs out when it suddenly became loose. She slipped and fell against the rocky ground. This hurt her a lot. That changed when she decided to look up.

Cheetor had stood up, happy that he's free. "Thanks for the save, kid," he said, before shooting at the Predacons.

Hallie nodded as she painfully struggled to get back on her feet. Then she felt dizzy and fell back down. She cursed at her weakness.

"Here. Let me help you." Cheetor said, noticing her distress.

Gently, Cheetor scoops up Hallie in his arms and lifts her off the rocks. He held her close to his chest like a precious jewel.

Hesitant, Hallie allows him to carry her. She was too tired to argue and fight. She was feeling glad she doesn't have to walk. It was the second time she was picked up by a transforming robot, probably not the last.

Suddenly, Optimus flew in and came soaring down toward Cheetor's and the Thorne sisters' position amiss the exploding gunfire around him. They were surprised to see him come at all.

_He must be suicidal,_ Hallie thought. _He'll be a goner soon._

Megatron fired a shot at Optimus, taking out one of his rocket boosters as he plummets toward the ground.

"OPTIMUS!" screamed Rhinox from above.

"SEE? TOLD YOU!" Rattrap said with smug delight.

But Optimus resisted the damage like a real pro and landed next to Cheetor. "Are you alright, Cheetor?" he asked loudly through the exploding gunfire.

"Yeah. Thanks to her." Cheetor said, indicating to Hallie.

Shocked, Optimus did a quiet, but quick observation on the two human girls resting before him. He never thought he would see humans in his lifetime. He looked at the oldest in Cheetor's arms. She looked weary and suspicious. And the youngest hiding behind the rocks looked terrified. Optimus was curious of how they came to be on this alien planet. But he had to push that aside for now. His first priority is to get the children out safely.

When Optimus approached Melody, she was whimpering and crying. She was scared of _him_.

Optimus knelt down to her level so he doesn't appear so intimidating. "It's alright, little one." he assured her in a calm, gentle voice. "I'm not here to hurt you. Right now, we must get you two out of here."

Melody remained where she was, but she has stopped crying and just looks at him. She seems to almost innocently believe him.

Gently, Optimus scoops Melody up and carried her in his arms like a kitten.

"DO NOT LET THEM ESCAPE!" screamed Megatron.

The Predacons were more determined than ever and start increasing their firepower. The flashing explosions are so intense that there is no way for Optimus, Cheetor and the Thorne sisters to leave alive.

Hallie and Melody could hear the other two Maximals arguing above the slope near them.

Suddenly, Rhinox popped out of cover and starts firing madly at the Predacons. He was also holding up a reluctant Rattrap who is forced to fire too as he screams.

Overwhelmed by heavy firepower, the Predacons had to dive for cover and left Megatron standing out in the open.

While Rhinox and Rattrap provided cover fire, Optimus and Cheetor ran with hastily up above the slope cliff with Hallie and Melody in their arms.

"Back to the base!" Optimus shouted. "Let's go! Let's go!"

Optimus and Cheetor climbed up over the slope, carrying Hallie and Melody as they ran past Rattrap and Rhinox toward the barren landscape ahead of them.

Meanwhile, Rattrap and Rhinox kept on firing at the Predacons to keep them at bay. The Thorne sisters remained terrified of the explosions they hear in front of them.

Soon, Rhinox and Rattrap retreated too as they made their escape to catch up with their comrades.

Megatron was furious at his minions' slow incompetence. "AFTER THEM! DO YOU-" he began when Megatron suddenly starts screaming in agony.

Hallie and Melody couldn't see what was going on over their rescuers' shoulders. Before any of them could question it, the Maximals ran further and further away from the Predacons, whose leader's angry shouting grows fainter.

Paranoid thoughts were racing through Hallie's mind. Her limp body was rocking about rhythmically from Cheetor's frantic footsteps which is making her stomach lurch about sickeningly. At least her blue baseball cap was blocking the sunlight from hurting her eyes. Through her brunette hair, Hallie could see Melody is the same position in Optimus' arms.

After a while, Cheetor was suddenly being shocked by electrical surges. "Urgh!" he groaned. One by one, the Maximals screamed as they starts suffering from the same crippling fate. Melody doesn't seem bothered nor affected by the surges.

Fearing for their lives, Hallie panicked and starts thrashing around in Cheetor's hold. "Put me down!" she demanded.

Cheetor was too busy running to listen. He held a firmer grip on her. He was trying to fight off whatever was hurting him.

"Do you hear me? PUT. ME. DOWN!" Hallie shouted.

Hallie uppercuts her fist up Cheetor' chin, knocking him up a bit. "Okay! Okay!" he complained.

Cheetor skids to halt and sets Hallie back on the ground. She ran toward the gorilla robot that was carrying Melody. "Give me back my sister!" Hallie screamed at him.

Understanding her situation, Optimus carefully gives Melody to Hallie. She takes her little sister, carrying her by the front. Melody hugs her arms around Hallie's neck. Her tears were staining her sister's violet-black t-shirt. She was too scared to say anything.

As the Maximals were succumbing to the effects of the crippling surges, Optimus was forced to fight his injuries and shouted with a painful expression: "Quick! Beast mode, Maximals!"

Confused, Hallie and Melody watch as the Maximals marvelously transform back into their animals forms. The gorilla seemed too injured to keep steady and leaned on the rhino for support.

"Who are you?" Hallie asked with a steady gasp. "What are you?"

As she fearfully backs away, Hallie steps onto something long and soft.

"Yeeeeeeoooooooooow!" screeched a pained voice.

Turning around, Hallie and Melody stared wide eyed at the oversized rat nursing his tail. "Hey! Watch where you're goin' there, kid!" he snapped at them.

Rattrap was looking at them suspiciously with his black, beady eyes and twitching his nose.

Disgusted, Hallie reacted by moving backward when she bumped into the rhino behind her.

"Watch it!" Rhinox shouted, looking fed up.

In her fear, Hallie also accidentally bumped Melody's sore ankle too and made her cry out in pain.

"What was it? Are you hurt?" Optimus asked, his gorilla form approaching the girls.

"She twisted her ankle!" Hallie shouted, protecting her little sister. "She fell while we were running away from those creeps so I had to carry her."

The Maximals tensed up from being scolded by Hallie. They were forced to stay where they were so they won't risk scaring off the humans despite their conditions. Optimus took his time climbing onto Rhinox's back since he is too injured to walk far.

Hallie cautiously keeps her distance. She was interested in keeping Melody who she cares about out of harm's way. "What's wrong with you?" she asked.

Weary, Optimus took a moment to catch his breath. "That was an Energon field build up." he said breathlessly. "Under normal circumstances, Energon is consumable as fuel for us Maximals. This whole planet is rich with Energon. So much that prolonged exposure to the dangerous radiation would shorten out our bodies."

"Energon field?" Hallie asked worryingly. "Is that a new kind of radiation? Are me and Melody safe? How long until we die?"

It was Rhinox's turn to talk. "It is completely harmless to organics, especially humans." he explained calmly. "We had to take on these animal forms scanned from the local creatures to survive. Our shielding can hold out but not for too long."

Rattrap hopped onto Rhinox for a ride and rested on Optimus' shoulder. "Which means it'll take a while for the Predacons to catch up." Rattrap said with a grin.

"Right now, we must keep moving." Optimus said.

Cheetor stepped up to do his duty. "I'll scout back to see if the Predacons are following us." he told the others.

"Thanks, Cheetor." Optimus said.

"Don't worry, girls. I'm on the case." Cheetor assured them, before heading off.

Hallie appreciated the fact that Cheetor was trying to cheer them up. But at the moment, all they could think about was going home. It all started with those ghostly aliens. Hallie could lose Melody for good…

The Energon fields probably explain why the walkie-talkies wouldn't work properly last night. And there was the probe that scanned her and Melody at the smoky mountains… Who knows how much the Predacons know about them?

Still keeping her distance, Hallie reluctantly walks alongside the Maximals. She carries Melody close, hoping that staying with the robot aliens will keep them safe long enough until the Thorne sisters slip away to their own safe spot.

* * *

_**Later...**_

After a long walk, the sun was already setting. It was getting late. The Maximals and the Thorne sisters were passing the towering rock formations and scattered stones around them. The wind was howling in from the south.

Hallie and Melody could have sworn they heard a crow cawing nearby. For an alien planet, it sure has animals resembling a lot like Earth. It was so quiet that they could almost sleep. No one in the group was saying a word to each other.

But then, Optimus Primal lets out a low growl and snatches Rattrap off his back, dangling the rat in front of him.

"Hey! Hey!" Rattrap complained. "What's got your servos so bent?"

"Let's get one thing straight, Rattrap," Optimus stated aggressively. "I am commander of this group, and when I give an order, I expect it to be obeyed!"

"Oh, yeah?" the rat inquired. "So I get vaped because you're too chicken to go yourself!"

"I will not give an order I would not be willing to do myself!" Optimus shouted, then takes a breath. "But I was capable of giving you better cover fire. You were not."

Then Optimus tosses the petulant rat onto his back.

Rattrap seems to have accept this explanation rather grudgingly. "Eh. Come one! What are you shortening about?" he said, patting his leader's shoulder. "Hey, we got out of there alive, didn't we?"

"But injured." Optimus replied sadly. "It'll take time for our beast modes to effect internal repairs."

Rattrap groans at his leader's pessimism. "Yeah, well… Better you than me." he said.

Curious, Melody stretches out a little from Hallie to look at the Maximals. They don't seem so bad and haven't tried to hurt them yet. "I'm Melody Thorne." she said with a smile.

The Maximals were surprised by this act of friendliness from the youngest girl. They gladly introduced themselves.

"The name's Rattrap." he said, looking down at her. "Don't forget it."

"Rhinox." he said simply.

"And I'm Optimus Primal," he said with an acknowledged nod. "I'm the leader of my team. It is an honor to make your acquaintance."

"Nice to meet you." Melody said happily. "My Mom said it's important to make new friends."

"Melody," Hallie snaps angrily at her. "You can't just blurt out whenever you feel like it. We don't know what they are."

"What are you? Her bodyguard?" Rattrap said with sarcasm.

"Her sister." Hallie stated with annoyance.

Melody shook her head typically at her sister's behavior. "Hallie's usually not this irritable." she explained.

Hallie was making her slow walk with the Maximals when her dizzy spell came back. She was forced to rub her annoying headache. "Oh, this sucks…" she groaned quietly.

The Maximals slowed their walk a little to see what was wrong.

"You're in no state to travel." Optimus informed.

"I'm fine." Hallie said stubbornly.

Melody was still carrying the half drunken waterbottle she kept in her large, overall pocket. She pulled it out and gave it to her sister.

"Thanks, sis," Hallie said, taking a huge gulp. "Why are you guys here?"

"The transwarp took us through space _and_ time." Optimus said, telling their story. "We chased Megatron in his ship, the _Darksyde_, when we both ended up getting shot down and crashed landed on this planet."

Optimus also began to wonder how the human girls arrive on this unusual world before the Maximals crashed here. "How did you arrive on this planet?" he asked.

Then Hallie and Melody started to explain what happened. About the both of them wandering out in the woods near their house, being pulled into a wormhole and arrived in the jungle the night before the Maximals and Predacons' arrival. They left out the part of another alien race wanting to abduct Melody since the Maximals wouldn't believe them otherwise.

"Spent our first night in a cave." Hallie continued. "I'm glad we were out of that jungle though. Too many creepy crawlies."

"You mean you're alone?" Rhinox asked, looking over at the Thorne sisters.

Melody looked quite depressed. "Yes," she said in a quivering tone. "And we want to go home now."

Then Optimus and Rattrap leaned in closer to Rhinox so they can a private conversation.

"They must have fell into a transwarp portal." Optimus said.

"So what are we going to do with them?" Rhinox asked, indicating the girls.

"I don't know, Rhinox," the gorilla admits honestly. "But they are our responsibility now. We cannot let the Predacons, especially Megatron, come near them."

Rattrap, however, was flabbergasted that he was hearing this conversation. "Are we babysitters now, boss monkey? 'Cause there is no way I'm risking my life for them."

Overhearing this, Hallie becomes unhappy and wasn't convinced that the Maximals are trustworthy. She decides to take action.

"No way!" Hallie shouted. "We're not going anywhere with you!"

The three Maximals turned their attention toward the Thorne sisters. They knew the girls had an unpleasant experience with the Predacons and that's understandable.

"I promise you, Hallie," Optimus said, "When Megatron and the Predacons are dealt with, we will take you home."

"But…!" Hallie exclaims with disbelief.

"Like it or not, you're with us now." Optimus stated firmly. "And that's final."

Hallie scoffs in disgust. "Fine," she replied.

Hallie thought she and her sister were gonna die alone on this alien planet. Much than she cares to admit, she knows the Maximals may be hers and Melody's last hope in getting back home.

Suddenly, Cheetor rushes in from behind to join the group as fast as his cheetah speed can take him. "Hey, what did I miss?" he asked everyone.

The Maximals and the Thorne sisters remained awkwardly quiet.

Then Cheetor returned to important matters. "I think we gave them the fade." he reported.

Optimus wasn't so sure but appreciates the report. "Keep your sensors on full. According to the Golden Disc theft reports, there were _six_ Predacons. One of them was missing from the battle."

This made Hallie and Melody worried because they know which Predacon was missing.

"Yeah, well. Uh…" Rattrap said uneasily. "Maybe he was destroyed in the crash."

Rhinox wasn't convinced. "That kind of luck we haven't been getting much of lately."

"Tell me about it." Cheetor replied, as he turns to face the horizon and spots an unpleasant sight. "LOOK!"

There was a velociraptor on a narrow, stone bridge that's blocking their path toward where the Maximal ship, the _Axalon, _lies. He was posing for a fight. It was the same raptor that Hallie and Melody saw at the Predacon spaceship and encountered in the rockslides. They were so frightened that they kept quiet and had their eyes fixed on him in case he might attack.

Optimus indicates the Thorne sisters to stay where they are until the problem is solved, which means more fighting is about to happen. They do not want to get involved in another one. He and Rattrap climbed off Rhinox's back, preparing themselves.

However, Hallie didn't want to listen to an alien and gently lowers Melody down to the ground. Her little sister sits and watches quietly.

Quietly, Hallie took a few steps forward to sneak up next to the Maximals so she can see what all the fuss is about.

"Should we blast him?" Rhinox asked his leader.

"Keep that option open." Optimus Primal said. "But, hang on."

Optimus Primal crosses the stone bridge halfway until he is face-to-face with his new adversary.

"Attention, Maximals!" announced the raptor. "My name is Dinobot! I have left the Predacons to join your group…as LEADER!"

"WHAT?" Cheetor exclaims. "Did I hear the word 'leader'?"

"This guy's got bearings of chrome steel." Rhinox admits to Rattrap who nods.

"I hereby challenge you, Optimus Primal, to a one-on-one battle!" Dinobot declares. "The winner shall lead the Maximals, and the loser shall be destroyed!"


	8. Chapter Eight - The Journey

Whenever Hallie and Melody get into fight over petty things, Mom wouldn't yell or hit them like other parents. She would ask them why they were fighting in the first place. She would just listen, then tell them to make up for it and apologize. After all, they had their good and bad days. It depends on what's going to happen next.

This, however, is the worst day of their lives.

Standing next to three Maximals, Hallie observes as Optimus stands out on the narrow bridge facing the former Predacon Dinobot. It was a challenge for the leadership of the Maximals.

Hearing that mysterious crow seems to break this awkward silence. Hallie couldn't even begin to contemplate the future, which isn't all that good. The truth is she wants to break down in despair but didn't for the sake of pride.

Melody sat sadly behind the three Maximals. She hugged her knees close to her chest. She was really scared. She wants to pretend it is all a bad dream but she just couldn't do that. She began humming a lullaby to herself.

The raptor lets out a low growl. "Face me, Optimus!" he demanded, bearing his sharp teeth. "I, Dinobot, challenge you for leadership of the Maximals! You and I, one on one! The winner shall be leader, and the loser…"

As Dinobot ponders, he looks down over at the ravine below them. "Well, it is a long way down." he said, turning to face Optimus.

Hallie looks over to see the small stream below. She didn't like the heights so she took a few steps back.

Optimus bares his fangs in anticipation. "I don't want to fight you!" he told Dinobot, tensing up for the fight.

"You do not have a choice!" Dinobot shouted with a snarl. "Your command center is back there! And _no one_ crosses this bridge until you face me…"

Optimus stood quiet and still, indecisive about what he should do, especially with the pressure that he is new to leading his team and that the Predacons are coming.

"Don't WE get a say in this?" Rhinox asked, wondering.

Rattrap was so insensitive to Optimus' situation. "Let Chopperface and the Boss Monkey duke it out! Ain't no fur off MY tail…" he said.

Then Rattrap turns to glare at Hallie, still mad that she stood on his tail.

Cheetor wasn't going to stand for this either. "No way!" he yelled. "Hey, Scale Belly, how's about you try a piece of the bad kitty, huh?"

True she is scared, but Hallie didn't care what was going on. Her main concern now was getting her injured sister out of here. She was especially angry at Dinobot. What he is doing is selfish and is endangering their lives. The Predacons could arrive at any moment and destroy them all. There was no time to lose.

"Hey!" Hallie shouted, cupping her hands round her mouth. "Get out of the way, you jerk!"

Alarmed, Rhinox took priority for the girls' safety. "Keep quiet!" he hissed at her.

"Leave me alone!" Hallie yelled, refusing to be ignored.

"Watch it, kid." Rattrap warned, keeping his tail close.

"Shut up, rat." Hallie said bitterly. "You're on my list too. That means I don't trust you."

Dinobot stopped to stare at Hallie and Melody, narrowing his cat-slit eyes. "I see you have found the human girls. That is good." he said in his gruff, snarling voice.

The Maximals turned to stare at the Thorne sisters, concerned that they have never mentioned meeting Dinobot before. Melody crawls up next to Rhinox and tries standing up on her good leg. But she accidentally stumbles and leans onto his side.

"Sorry," Melody said shyly.

Rhinox turns to look at her. He nods in response and smiled. He supports her kindly.

"Cool your circuits, everyone." Optimus said, turning and motioning his hand out to silence their protests. "I wouldn't send anyone to do anything that I wasn't willing to do myself!"

Rattrap scoffs at this. "Oh, yeah, right." He said mockingly. "Now he's says that."

Optimus groans in frustration and turns to face his would-be-opponent. "This is foolish, Dinobot! We're Maximals! You are a Predacon!"

The velociraptor Dinobot was indifferent to this. "All the more reason that I should lead them." he stated.

"Look!" Optimus said, growing angry. "I don't know what happened between you and Megatron-"

"_Megatron?!_" Dinobot snapped, seething with venom. "Megatron will fall as soon as I have your Maximals at my command!"

"You are welcome to join us," Optimus said, before pointing at him. "But you shall NOT lead!"

"I beg to differ!" Dinobot snorted, sounding unimpressed. "For in anticipation of my new role as leader, I have already reprogrammed my activation code! Dinobot, MAXIMIZE!"

Roaring, Dinobot transforms from a velociraptor and into his robot mode. He now wields his spinning sword and a rotating blade, posing for the fight.

"Optimus Primal, MAXIMIZE!" he declared, roaring and transforming into robot mode.

Now Optimus Primal and Dinobot are both ready to duel. The Maximal leader pulled out his twin, cyan blades to even the odds.

Cheetor wasn't going to stand this insanity any longer. "I'm going in there! Cheetor, MAXI-"

"Clamp it, kitty." Rattrap said, restraining the cheetah's mouth. "Nailing the chopper from behind won't settle anything."

"He's right." Rhinox replied. "Yeah… Like it or not, we've gotta let them finish."

Much than she hates to admit, Hallie knows that Rhinox and Rattrap are right. There was nothing they can do about it and they are no good to Optimus until the battle is over. But if Dinobot wins, what is going to happen to her and Melody?

Dinobot makes the first move, charging toward Optimus like a mad bull. As he dashes, he moves his rotating blade in front of him. However, Optimus stood his ground. As the raptor bot came at him, the Maximal leader ducked and flipped the former Predacon over him. Dinobot bounced across the bridge toward the Maximals and collapsed. His rotating blade was hitting the rocky edge.

Anticipating for an attack, Cheetor growls at him as he and Rhinox stood protectively in front of the Thorne sisters. Dinobot ignored them and stood up. He was down but his determination for victory allowed him to go on. He jumps toward Optimus, somersaulting over him at such great height.

When Dinobot is close enough, he brings his weapons down for the striking blow which knocks Optimus down. As the Maximal leader lets out a groan and collapsed, his foot scraped past the rocky bridge as the pebbles fall into the ravine. It was too close for comfort.

As Optimus looks down at his possible death, he pans up to face Dinobot with a determined stare. He refuses to die like this. Before a victorious Dinobot can bring his sword down, Optimus Primal lashes out and hits him with a falcon punch.

Dazed, Dinobot stood dumbfounded for a moment before wobbling and falling down into a heap. As he tries to gather up his strength, Dinobot saw and felt the blade of Optimus underneath his chin. He wasn't fazed by what is going to happen next.

"I still live!" Dinobot exclaims. "Finish it!"

But Optimus refused and puts away one of his swords, offering his free hand to his opponent. "That's not how we Maximals do things." he explained.

"Then…" Dinobot began as his optics glow green. "That will have to _change!_" he screamed, firing his optic lasers at Optimus.

Blasted in the face, Optimus screamed in response and covered his optics. He made a few steps back, his foot slipped on the edge of the bridge.

The Maximal leader struggles to keep his balance and tumbles over the edge.

Cheetor widens his optics in shock, fearing the worst for Optimus.

Hallie reacted with a gasp. She was surprised at herself for this. She was actually _concerned_ for him? For someone she had just met?

Melody was scared of the violence. She had closed her eyes and covered her ears. She was streaming tears. "Please, Hallie, make them stop!" she cried.

Then Optimus uses both of his legs to cling onto the narrow rock bridge, preventing himself from falling. As he hangs upside down, Dinobot steps over and towered above him.

As Hallie hugs Melody to calm her down, she saw Rhinox shook his head disapprovingly. This was it. It was all over for Optimus Primal.

Dinobot nears his spiky sword at Optimus' face and was about to do the final strike. But then he unexpectedly helps Optimus back up and threw him across the bridge.

Breathing heavily, Optimus was confused at this. "What are you doing? You'd won." he said.

"You slipped." Dinobot stated with a low growl. "To defeat you in such a manner would be lacking in honor. I would not have earned the right to lead. I prefer to beat my opponents the old fashioned way…"

Dinobot squeezes the handle of his sword tightly, as the blades were suddenly spinning faster like a drill. "BRUTALLY!" he declared.

Then Optimus and Dinobot resumed their fighting. Blow after blow, their blades were locked in fierce combat.

_Honor? _Hallie thought with confusion._ He's like an ancient samurai, trying to justify his existence right up to the end. I'm not sure if it meant the same for this velociraptor._

Finally, Optimus and Dinobot trapped themselves in a tight block with their swords and attempts to push one another back and forth.

"For a Predacon, Dinobot," Optimus grunted. "You have qualities I could like."

"And you," Dinobot groaned. "Have proved to be a worthy adversary. I will have you recycled with full honors."

"Well, that's…just…Prime!" Optimus strained, before lunging at him.

Hallie didn't route for either of them. In fact, she doesn't care who wins. She just wants to cross the bridge and get Melody to safety before those Predacons catch up to them.

* * *

_**Nearby...**_

While the Maximals and the Throne sisters are distracted by the fight, they are unaware that Megatron and the Predacons have finally arrived and are hiding behind large rocks. They were enjoying watching the two combatants on the bridge trying to destroy each other.

In his T-Rex form, Megatron looks over at his troops. "Well!" he said with smug delight. "This is an interesting sight, yesss! Optimus and the traitor Dinobot engaged in battle!"

"W-who do you think's gonna win?" Scorponok asked nervously.

Waspinator was giddy with excitement. "Ooooh! Wazzpinator bet on Optimus!"

Tarantulas snickers at this. "The winner doesn't interest me!" he said, twitching his fangs.

"Nor me. Noooo!" Megatron agreed. "How much more preferable it would be if they…BOTH lost? Yesss."

Grinning at the idea, Megatron has the chance to destroy two of his greatest enemies and cut off the Maximals' escape. He would finally capture the human brats and discover how and why they came to be on this planet.

"Megatron, Terrorize!" he shouted, roaring before transforming.

"Terrorsaur, Terrorize!" he screeched, transforming in mid-air.

"Tarantulas, Terrorize!" he cackled.

"Wazzpinator, Terrorize!" he buzzed.

"Scorponok, Terrorize!" he shouted, clicking his claws before transforming.

Then Rattrap's ratty ears were alert when he heard something nearby. He turned to the right and saw a most unpleasant sight: the Predacons. "Yeow!" he yelled. "Shift your scanners to east there, pals! This party has got big time crashers!"

Rhinox and Cheetor turn to face their comrade's direction and spotted the Predacons. Hallie and Melody did the same and they were both immediately terrified. They had to get outta of here now!

"Oh, no." Melody cried out in panic. "They've found us!"

Hallie went over to Melody and helped support her injured sister to her feet. They were suddenly surrounded by Cheetor and Rhinox, standing protectively over them.

Megatron turned to face his troops and ordered: "FIRE!" he shouted.

The Predacons did so, firing and unleashing a barrage of missiles toward the Maximals.

The Thorne sisters snapped their eyes shut, preparing for the worse. But instead, the missiles were flying past them and directly at the bridge where Optimus and Dinobot are still fighting. They don't even notice the danger flying toward them! If the missiles take out the bridge, then Optimus and Dinobot are all doomed.

Shocked, Cheetor turned to warn his leader. "OPTIMUS!" he cried.

Hearing that, Optimus Primal turned to face the incoming missiles and then he shouted: "Beast mode!"

Then Optimus transforms to his gorilla form, pulling Dinobot out of the way of the missiles as they fell over the edge. The missiles missed, continuing on until they disappears into the mountainous horizon.

"OPTIMUS!" screamed Cheetor

Near the cliff, the Maximals and the Thorne sisters tried to detect where Optimus and Dinobot are falling, but they see nothing but the ravine below. Filled with sadness, Cheetor believed the worst had happened.

"If you guys aren't doing anything," stated a familiar voice.

Everyone snapped out of their depression and looked over to see Optimus Primal is still alive, but is clinging upside down from the bridge whilst he held onto the foot of a dangling Dinobot.

Suddenly, the Predacons opened fire again and this time struck the rocky edges of the bridge, weakening Optimus' foothold. "A little speed would be Prime!" he shouted.

Any moment, Optimus and Dinobot will fall into the ravine.

Megatron and his cohorts continue to fire at the bridge from cover. "MAKE THEM FALL! YESSS!" the Predacon leader shouted.

"We have to help them!" Melody cried. She was actually worried for Optimus, especially Dinobot. "I don't want to see anyone die."

"Then let's not let it happen." Hallie told her.

"Let's go! Cheetor, MAXIMIZE!"

"Rhinox, MAXIMIZE!"

Rhinox and Cheetor have both transformed to their robot modes and are ready to fight.

However, Rattrap was actually cowering down, refusing to fight. "Nuh uh," he said, shaking his head. "Ain't no way I'm gonna get blasted."

Hallie has grown sick of his cowardly behavior as her patience reached the limit. "Come on, rat," she demanded. "Don't be a coward. Stand up and fight."

Now Rattrap is really annoyed with this pestering human. "Hey! Watch it, small fry!" he retorted.

"Who are you calling small, mouse?" Hallie taunted with a smirk.

"Why I outta…!"

Then Rhinox interrupted the argument by tapping the rat's head, impatiently demanding him to transform too.

"Hey, hey, hey!" protested Rattrap. "You get yourselves scrapped, 'cause I ain't-"

Suddenly, Rhinox grabs Rattrap by the neck and lifts the rat up to his level, glaring at him.

"All right, all right…!" Rattrap groaned before transforming into robot mode.

Hallie knew that time was of the essence. She helps her sister Melody who is hopping off her injured ankle and trying to cross the bridge. They were moving too slow.

Then Rhinox stepped in their way and kneeled down to their level. He didn't look too menacing up close, but even Hallie dared not try to get on his bad side either.

"Climb on," Rhinox said, offering his outstretched hand to Melody. "You won't get far. I can help. Trust me."

This seemed to knock the confused Melody back into reality. A reassuring smile crossed Rhinox's face.

Melody then looks at Hallie for permission. Without a word, Hallie just nodded.

Without hesitation, Melody hopped toward Rhinox and sat in his hand. He gently lifted her up and sets her on his shoulder. Melody grinned brightly from her place as she held onto his neck.

"Hurry, they're coming!" Hallie shouted. She was resisting the urge to run.

Suddenly, Dinobot began screaming in agony as he starts suffering from Energon build up. "The Energon fields!" he cried in agony. "I am shorting out!"

Optimus slips further as his foot begins to lose grip on the bridge. "Hang on! You can't transform in this position!" he yelled.

"Release me!" Dinobot pleaded, suffering from the surges. "And let me fall and save yourself."

"Now, where's the honor in that?" Optimus chuckled.

Now Optimus' hold on the rock bridge weakens as he was now dangling by his toe. He tries to put on a confident look but Dinobot can see through his farce.

"You have no choice." Dinobot said sadly, shaking his head.

"Then we BOTH go!" Optimus declared.

Finally, Optimus lost his grip as he lets a scream and began their fall but was suddenly saved when Rhinox seized his leader's foot at the last moment.

"Going up!" Rhinox grunted.

Then he pulls Optimus and a dangling Dinobot up like the strong behemoth he is over the bridge and puts them down, saving the pair.

Melody was sitting on his large shoulder. Her blonde hair is flapping with the wind and her red shoes are dangling over. She was dizzy from the heights and held onto Rhinox tight.

Hallie was looking over the edge, watching the whole thing happen.

Dinobot has quickly transformed into his raptor form. He leaps back on his feet. Hallie takes a few steps back away from him and is behind Cheetor. He didn't notice her. She lets out quiet gasps for breath to stop herself hyperventilating.

Megatron looks on at the Maximals, his desire for victory grows ever near. "This is our opportunity! Yesss!" he said, before turning to his troops. "ALL WEAPONS!" he shouted.

Immediately, the Predacons popped out of their rock cover and opened fire with purple lasers, ballistic bullets and missiles.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The first part of the rock bridge was blown apart and begins to collapse like pairs of lined dominoes.

Alert, the Maximals ran for their lives across the crumbling, rock bridge. Rhinox took the lead who was surprisingly fast. Optimus, Dinobot and Cheetor followed fast from behind so the others have enough space to catch up.

Hallie tried running harder and faster, but she was so exhausted that her cramp, numb legs grew heavier and sluggish. She was growing further and further behind.

Then suddenly Hallie was swept up by Rattrap and is carrying her underneath his arm. The heights makes her crazy. Her stomach lurches and drops about with his running.

Everything in time begins to slow as their impending doom threatens to catch up to them. No matter how hard Rattrap can run fast, the cracks in the rock bridge overtook them. And before Rattrap and Hallie knew it, the floor collapses beneath their feet and they began to plunge.

"Oh, craaaaaaap!" screamed Hallie, as the air blasts at her face.

But then Optimus grabs Rattrap's hand, just as he swings and knocks against the cliff face.

Whilst hanging by Optimus' grip, Rattrap looks down to see the remains of rocky bridge have crashed below so far down. He still held Hallie close to him. She was too shocked to speak. They would have both fallen down to their deaths if Optimus hadn't caught them. He pulled the pair up safely and puts them down.

Rattrap sighs with relief. He takes a moment to catch his breath.

"You're welcome." Optimus said, not expecting a thank you.

Rattrap just shrugged. "You're the leader. It's your… ah… job." he replied.

After that, the Maximal leader left the rat and the carried human alone. Hallie snapped out of her shell-shocked state and realized she was still being carried underneath Rattrap's arm.

Frantically gasping for breath, Hallie starts wiggling about and spasming her arms out. "Let me go." she complained. "My bruises are getting bruises."

"Sheesh! That's the thanks I get." Rattrap mutters with sarcasm.

Gently, Rattrap puts Hallie down and she falls on her backside unsteadily. She was this close to falling to her death. Sometimes she thinks she's trapped in a constant nightmare she cannot wake up from. At least her blue baseball cap was still stuck on her head.

In his rat mode, Rattrap ignores Hallie as he walks past her and joins his Maximal comrades. They had reached the other side of the bridge in time. They have all transformed back into animals. Melody was riding on Rhinox and is smiling and waving at her sister.

* * *

**_Meanwhile on the other side…_**

Megatron takes his frustrations out on Terrorsaur by hitting the red pterodactyl who lets out a painful squawk. "Incompetents! You let them escape!" he screamed at his scared troops.

"M-Megatron!" stammered Scorponok. "Look up there! The missiles!"

But Scorponok points out to where some of the Predacon missiles are going toward the mountains when-

BOOM!

The remaining missiles have struck and blasted the top of one of the snowcapped mountain peaks into smithereens. When the smoky mist clears, it reveals a massive cache of glowing crystals.

"Energon! Yesss!" Megatron exclaims. "Raw, natural Energon crystal. I knew it was here."

As Megatron turns to face his Predacon troops, he was suddenly struck by the effects of the Energon field. He and the some of the Predacons have been in robot mode too long.

Scorponok stood stupefied as he looks at the Energon surges affecting his body too.

Groaning, Megatron took action. "Quickly! Return to beast mode!" he strained, before doing the same.

The Predacons set out for the Energon mountain, but they are unaware that they've been spotted heading for the energy crystals by the Maximals.

* * *

The Maximals and the Thorne sisters were observing the glowing mountain in the distance.

"Pretty." Melody observes.

Hallie stepped in-between Optimus and Dinobot as she looked on at the shining horizon. "Are those crystals?" she asked.

"Raw Energon," Optimus replied, "In its natural form, it's highly unstable. We're lucky those missiles didn't cause them to explode."

"If you could call that lucky." Rhinox said.

"Megatron's on the move!" Cheetor shouted, narrowing his optics on the faraway Predacons. "Bearing 6175."

_Wow. _Hallie thought._ Cheetor can see that far? Duh, he's a machine._

"He's after the Energon!" Dinobot exclaims, resting on a rock. "A crystal that size would make him unstoppable!"

"Oh, thanks a lot for the hot tip there, Scale Belly." Rattrap noted with sarcasm. Then he turned to his rhino friend. "Rhinox, scrap this guy."

Rhinox obliged to this and began charging toward an unsuspecting Dinobot, with Melody on board. Hallie felt the ground tremble beneath her feet by the stomping rhino.

But then Optimus outstretches his arm to stop his old friend. "Hold up, Rhinox!" he shouted. And Rhinox did so, trusting his leader's decision.

"Will he send flyers?" Optimus asked Dinobot.

"Oh!" Rattrap groaned. "For booting up cold! You're not gonna believe a Predacon, are ya?"

"That's _my_ call." Optimus told him before turning back to the raptor. "Will he?"

Dinobot was leaning on a rock to gather his strength. "Negative." he said with a growl. "The crystal's too big for the flyers to carry. Only Tarantulas has the skill to segment it."

"Then we have to get there first." Optimus said, turning to face everyone. "All seven of us."

"Yeah," Rattrap chuckled, counting his paws. "All seven of us…" Then he lets out a gasp. "Ya mean… Chopperface and the kids are goin' with…? We're all gonna die." he said despairingly.

As Rattrap sat contemplating miserably to the whole new situation, he realizes his Maximal comrades were already leaving without him. "Hey! Wait for me!" he complained.

"Come on, slowpoke!" Melody called out. "My Mom's old Toyota can move faster than you!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Rattrap mutters. "Very funny, angel-face…"

During the journey to the mountain, Hallie refuses to go with the Maximals. "You're not risking mine and my sister's life for your fight." she said, crossing her arms.

Optimus looks over his shoulder to face Hallie. "There's no choice," he said with a stern look. "At your age, you two won't survive alone out here for long. Besides, where would you go?"

Hallie fell silent, unsure what she should do.

"I know you're scared," Optimus said in soft tone. "But if you stick with us, we can protect you from the Predacons."

With that settled, Hallie and Melody had no choice but to go with the Maximals for the sake of survival.

As the Maximals walked on, Melody scrunches her face with disgust. She can smell her sister's stinking, unwashed scent from up where she's sitting on Rhinox. "You stink." Melody complained, holding her nose.

Hallie snaps out of her troubled thoughts to look at Melody. "Really?" Hallie asked with a smirk. "I thought that was Rattrap."

"Hey!" Rattrap whined with annoyance. "Sheesh! Kids…"

Everyone started laughing at her witty joke whilst Dinobot just sniggers secretly. It was the first time the Maximals actually laughed together as a group since they arrived on this mysterious planet.

* * *

**_Elsewhere…_**

Megatron was stomping eagerly ahead of his cohorts. They should reach the Energon mountain before the Maximals. "So much Energon!" the purple T-Rex said eagerly. He turns to explain more to his confused second-in-command Scorponok. "With a crystal that size, the Predacon forces will become unstoppable! Yesss! The Maximals and then the galaxy will be ours to conquer!"

* * *

**_Tonight…_**

The Maximals and the Thorne sisters had been walking for hours until the sun had already set and the night sky has curtained down. They were climbing and travelling across rocky ridges on a mountain to cut ahead of the jungle below.

Hallie and Melody shivered as they both embraced the cold, night air. They slipped on their jackets from their waists to keep warm. They wished they kept the blanket. At least their jackets help shield them from the cold and it's not raining this time.

Melody was continuing to ride on Rhinox's back due to her sprained ankle. It was perfect because she was growing tired already. Her drowsy eyes and yawning was proof enough. The Energon Mountain glowed brightly blue in the dark. Nothing soothes Melody more than having blue crystals for a nightlight.

Hallie was still walking. Her legs were killing her, but she won't admit it. She and her sister are both covered in cuts and bruises.

Hallie pulls back her black sleeve to check her watch. It was 10:15pm. It was way past their bedtime. Mom is definitely going to ground her and Melody for life when they get back home. She must be completely ticked off by now. Grandma and Grandpa had to be worried sick.

Hallie and Melody stared up at the semi-transparent clouds, seeing the endless, twinkling stars. The twin moons in the sky proves that they _are_ on an alien planet, that Scorponok, Dinobot and Optimus were telling them the truth after all. They had to be somewhere in the Goldilocks' Zone because it has planets similar to Earth. It just makes going home more difficult.

"Do you need a ride?" Cheetor offered, noticing how tired she is.

"I'm fine." Hallie said. "I'll walk all night if I have to."

"You sure? Cause' you don't look-"

"I said I'm fine." Hallie said rudely. "Just leave me alone."

And so Cheetor left her alone. He was a nice guy but she was not ready to make friends.

Hallie was too alert to sleep. She wasn't in the mood and she still doesn't trust the Maximals, especially their new member Dinobot. He could still be using them to fulfill his own selfish deeds, like what he did at the bridge.

Melody begins to rest on Rhinox's back. She takes off her glittered hairband and puts it in her overall front pocket. She was so bored that she pulled out the purple orchids out of her pocket and started counting them. She was so busy counting the flowers that she didn't realize that Rhinox could smell their fresh fragrance.

"Ah, flowers..." Rhinox sighed with content. "I love them. Do you mind saving them for me, Melody? I would like to do some research on them later."

Melody smiles at this and puts the flowers back in her pocket. Then she notices her throat is a little dry and needed a drink. "Have you got any water?" she asked her sister.

Hallie looked up at her little sister with a hint of annoyance; rolling her eyes and exasperation. "No." she sighed, "We used what's left of it to clean and plaster our injuries about an hour ago. Remember?"

"Don't patronize me, Hal." Melody muttered, fidgeting with the first aid bag.

"Had any weird dreams yet?" Hallie retorted back.

Melody pouts and shakes her head. "Does that mean we're out of food too?" she asked, changing the subject.

Suffering a splitting headache, Hallie was not in the mood to start another squabble with her sister like always. "Well, I lost my rucksack to the Predacons so I'm just as screwed as you." she stated with sarcasm.

Speaking of possessions, Hallie lost her baseball medal she won and is quite saddened by this. It was only a few days ago since she scored her first grand slam at the school baseball championship. Now it's in the hands of dangerous Predacons who want to kill them all.

"Just go to sleep." Hallie said tiredly.

"I'm not ready for bed." Melody complained. "I want to stay up a little longer."

Hallie palm-faced herself to hide her impatience. "Melody, I don't have time for this."

"When are we gonna go home?" Melody asked her sister.

"I don't know, Mel." Hallie said quietly, looking away. "I just don't know."

The Maximals quietly let the Thorne sisters be to settle their own arguments. It was none of their own business. Dinobot, however, was not going to ignore this. "I do not approve of your snippy attitude, human." he snorted.

Hallie shot an angry glare at the velociraptor. "My attitude?! What about your attitude? You endangered my sister's life with your selfish ambitions!"

"Excuse me?" Dinobot asked, narrowing his feral optics.

Melody trembled with fear. "Hallie, don't fight." she pleaded meekly.

Hallie has once again stubbornly refused to listen. "Blocking the bridge doesn't ring a bell? Those crazy Predacons were on our tail!" she scolded.

"I was cheated of victory!" Dinobot snapped at her face. "I rather die with honor than live in shame!"

Hallie was fed up with his banter. "What is your point?" she said, challenging him. "You're gonna jump up and attack us again?"

Dinobot blinked before growling, glancing at Hallie. Already this human was bothering him with every chance she got. The other little girl was no different either. "You and the little one ran before I could explain!" he snarled.

Optimus looked back when he picked up this new information from their argument. "You've already met?" he asked Dinobot.

The raptor snorted at this. "I assumed it was Megatron coming to finish me off." he explained.

Hallie dreads thinking about their first encounter with the angry raptor. "He looked half dead." she shrugged, turning to face Dinobot. "I thought you were gonna kill us."

"No!" Dinobot stated indigently. "Such an act would be dishonorable. There is no sport in hunting creatures who cannot defend themselves."

"I was looking out for my sister." Hallie told Dinobot. "I couldn't take that chance. I promised Melody that I would protect her and I will."

Dinobot was taken aback from this. After a few moments of silence, he lets out a low growl. "I…apologize." he answered.

"It's okay." Melody said to him. "I was chased once by Mr. Higgins' sausage dog last Halloween. He was a mean dog."

That Halloween was truly a scary one. Hallie remembers dressing up in her witch costume and Melody in her pink fairy costume. When they were outside, Melody ran off from her and Mom to ring Mr. Higgins' doorbell to get candy. Before Melody could say 'trick or treat', she was chased away by his dog as soon as the door opened. Mom had to bring that crazy mutt back and apologized to Mr. Higgins for her daughter's trespassing.

"Mr. Higgins is not a nice person." Hallie huffed, crossing her arms. "Nothing makes that misery guts happy."

Rattrap wasn't buying this. Hearing that the Thorne sisters have already met Chopperface before the Maximals seems like too much of a coincidence. "I don't trust them. They could be spying for Megatron."

Exasperating with frustration, Hallie stood her ground and glared at the bothersome rat. "We're not spies." she said to him angrily. "We didn't even know it was their ship. Plus, we've never met your kind before!"

Then Cheetor interrupts to defend his young human friends. "We're keeping them safe, period!" he told the rat.

"Whatever, kid." Rattrap shrugged.

Optimus slowed his pace a little so that Hallie is walking alongside him. "How much did you hear?" he asked.

Hallie struggles to connect the fragments of the confusing memory. "Dinobot said something about stealing a golden disc." she admits. "And a failed search for Earth?"

Then Optimus looked over at Rhinox who nodded back. They know the details of the Thorne sisters' story is correct, much the Maximals cannot explain to them yet until everything with Megatron and the Predacons have blown over.

Melody was looking down at the shameful raptor. "Megatron didn't give Dinobot a chance to fight. He just shot him." she explained.

Hallie continued to tell the story. "Then after running away from the raptor here, we bumped into Scorponok and Waspinator. They robbed us of our supplies."

"How did you get away?" Cheetor asked.

"I threw dirt in the giant scorpion's eyes."

"Whoa," Cheetor exclaims with awe. "No wonder Scorponok looked ticked at you."

"Now I respect that." Rattrap said.

"I'd watch your step if I were you." Dinobot warned sternly with a snort. "Predacons tend to hold onto grudges."

The Maximals were now approaching a cavern with a skyline view of the mountain. En route, Rhinox was concerned for his leader's current health after the damage he took with the Predacons.

"How are ya feeling?" the rhino asked.

"Improved." Optimus replied. "I believe my internal repairs have been completed."

Rhinox was puzzling over this. "I was wondering. Your flying in robot form could make it to the crystal before any of us." he suggested.

"No." Optimus said, shaking his head. "We have to stay together. The Predacons could attack at any moment and there may be other surprises on this planet."

"There are." Rhinox stated, before looking down. "Down there. Look."

The Maximals and the Thorne sisters stop to rest when they all spot to see a strange stone circle below. It was obviously artificially built.

"Unusual." Optimus said, looking puzzled. "Any opinions?"

"Just one." Rhinox said. "It isn't natural. We didn't build it and neither did the Predacons."

Hallie suddenly feels weird. She looks at the standing stones nervously. She rubs her arms, wriggling uncomfortably. Then she realizes she is desperate for a pee. She needed to go NOW. She begins to walk into the back of the cave.

Rattrap picked up her movement and turned to catch Hallie sneaking off. "Where are you going, kid?" he asked.

Hallie flinched when he called for her. She looks over her shoulder at him. "Nowhere." she replied. "I gotta go."

"Then just go." Rattrap huffed.

"I don't mean leave." Hallie said with annoyance. "Whenever I drink water, what do you think I do after?"

Soon, Rattrap figured out what she meant. "Oh, right…" he said awkwardly.

"Look away." Hallie said sternly. "I can't do it if you're staring at me."

Rattrap turned around and rolls his optics. She can't blame a guy, especially a Cybertronian for knowing little of humanity's functions. "Sheesh, calm down, Toughgirl." he muttered.

Hallie had never felt so embarrassed in her life. Why do they have to be so darn awkward? She sits behind the rock in the cavern and relieves herself, much to her delight.

Suddenly, Cheetor lets out a ferocious growl at the sky. "Heads up!" he shouted.

The Maximals and Melody looked up at the direction where the cheetah is staring. They can hear loud buzzing and flapping sounds in the air. Something in the sky was moving closer and closer toward them. It was Waspinator and Terrorsaur!

"Wazzpinator, TERRORIZE!" he buzzed.

"Terrorsaur, TERRORIZE!" he squawked.

With both Predacons transformed in mid-air, they began soaring toward their enemies to prevent them from reaching the Energon mountain. The Maximals immediately transformed to robot mode one by one and are armed to the teeth.

Rhinox lifted Melody off his back and gently puts her down behind a rock. "Stay down, okay?" he told her.

Melody nodded at this, covers her ears and ducks down. She was really scared.

"Defensive positions!" Optimus Primal ordered.

Rattrap pointed his laser pistol at Dinobot. "What about HIM?" he asked.

Optimus stood next to Dinobot to provide defense and support. "He's with US!" he argued.

Rattrap wasn't convinced that Chopperface is trustworthy just because he switched sides. "I ain't buying it just 'cause YOU say so!"

Before they can argue further, the Maximals were attacked by exploding gunfire coming from the approaching Waspinator and Terrorsaur.

After buttoning up her jeans, Hallie peaks out of her cover to see the Maximals are primed for battle. This confuses and frightens her. Upon seeing Waspinator and Terrorsaur, Hallie panicked and tried to reach her sister.

"Melody!" Hallie cried.

Cheetor leaps out toward Hallie and pinned her to the ground. She was struggling to resist his hold as he drags her behind a rock cover that's further back from Melody's position.

"Get off me!" Hallie yelled angrily. "I need to get to Melody!"

Cheetor covered her mouth to stop her screaming. "Don't move, or you'll get scrapped," he said.

The Maximals have already dived behind cover as the explosions threaten bring the cavern down, leaving blast holes in their wake. Rocks and pebbles were raining down. The Maximals were firing back at the two Predacons, including Dinobot with his green optic lasers.

Cheetor had let go of Hallie who has finally calmed down so that he can join the fight. But she remains scared and desperate for Melody. She has never felt so helpless.

Knowing they are outnumbered, Waspinator and Terrorsaur made an aerial loop to turn around so they can fire at their enemies from a distance without getting hit.

Optimus notices that the rocky ceiling is crumbling. "Hold your fire!" he yelled at his comrades. "We could start an avalanche!"

"You crossed your wires?" exclaims Rattrap. "They're coming back!"

Rattrap was pointing at the flying Predacons coming toward them. Optimus turns to face his direction. The Maximals stood frozen behind cover, unsure what they should do without risking their lives.

"I'll handle this!" Optimus announced. He takes to the air and activates his double barreled shoulder cannons.

As Waspinator and Terrorsaur are about to carry out an aerial attack, they cried out in pain from the Energon field but continue to persist on shooting at the Maximals.

Dodging their frantic firepower, Optimus fires a missile at the two Predacons that hits them precisely from behind as the explosion knocks them off balance. They let out screams and squawks. Finally, Waspinator and Terrorsaur had enough and decided to flee the area.

But Dinobot was not finished with them. "Now! While they are weak!" he shouted, as he fires on the two Predacons with his optical lasers. It was loud and bright. During his frenzied attack, he also unintentionally blasts the ledge above the Maximals.

Looking up, Rhinox noticed rocks and a large boulder coming loose from the ceiling above him. Melody was resting right next to him. He is forced to leap aside, grabbing Melody in the process as the boulder comes crashing down before them.

Groaning, Rhinox sits up and looks down at a mewling Melody in his arms. He had just saved her from being crushed.

"Oh, crap!" Hallie gasped with shock. She ran out of cover to reach her sister.

As soon as Rhinox puts her down, Melody starts bursting into tears. Hallie ran into her, wrapping her arms into a hugging position around Melody.

Dinobot stood shocked at his action. He never intended to endanger innocent lives, especially humans. Why did he allow his anger to cloud his judgement? Before Dinobot could think more, he was confronted an unhappy Rattrap.

"I knew it, you traitor!" Rattrap accused. "You tried to slag my pal _and_ her!"

Then Rattrap leaps out at Dinobot and tackles him to the ground.

Before Dinobot could get up, he had a laser pistol pointed at his forehead by Rattrap who stood over him. "Once a Pred, always a Pred." he declared.

"Ease off, Rattrap!" Optimus ordered, landing on the ground. "It was an accident!"

Rattrap refused to budge. "Says you!" he said in a defiant tone

"That's right – says ME!" Optimus stated more firmly, poking at the rat. "You wanna question my orders one…more…time?"

Rattrap was actually taken aback this time. He knows when he is beaten. "I…" he began before letting out a groan. "I don't trust Predacons!"

With the matter settled, Dinobot moved the pistol away from his head and stands up, looming over Rattrap. He was way bigger than the smaller Maximal.

Slowly, Hallie tries to comfort her sobbing sister. She pans up to face Dinobot, this supposed honored warrior. He broke his word by endangering herself and Melody…again! "Don't ever do that again." she told him angrily.

Dinobot lets out a low growl and looks away in shame. As usual, Melody doesn't get involved in the arguments.

Optimus clearly looks fed up with his team second-guessing him and their bickering. "We've got enough trouble with Megatron on our hands without fighting amongst ourselves! Now come on!" he shouted, taking the lead. After that, everyone just shuts up and transforms back to their beastly forms to continue the journey by leaving the cavern. Hallie kept her distance from the raptor and didn't speak to him at all. This will go on for the rest of the night.

The Thorne sisters stayed close to the Maximals. Melody went back to riding on Rhinox and is already asleep on his back despite the near-death experience of a tough day she went through. Hallie was grateful that Rhinox saved her sister's life and is starting to warm up to him. Even Cheetor and Optimus weren't too bad, although Rattrap and Dinobot need to work on their bedside manner.

Melody was snoring lightly as she mumbled for Mom and Dad.

After walking a while, Hallie felt drowsy and is constantly yawning. She never stayed up this late before. She rubs her eyes and started tripping. She felt stiff and achy. She was ready to collapse.

Cheetor was walking alongside her. "At least admit you need a ride." he said.

"All right..." Hallie sighed. She was totally exhausted and is desperate for a nap.

Grinning, Cheetor lets Hallie climb on his furry back and is not at all strained by the extra weight. Hallie was surprisingly comfortable and is about ready to pass out. Then she looks up at the starry skies and sighed, thinking of Mom, Grandpa and Grandma. She misses them so much. Her Dad she wasn't so sure. Just thinking about him makes her so angry. She doesn't know if she and Melody will ever go home again.

Hallie sniffled and felt her tears coming but she forced them back.

Optimus gives her a questioning look but didn't press the issue further. Instead, he lets out a tired sigh. This was going to be a long night.


	9. Chapter Nine - Battle Mountain

**_Day 3…_**

The sunlight flashed in her eyes and she blinked. Hallie gasped softly. She thought it was all a bad dream. She felt like being in her crib, rocking back and forth. Her black All-star shoes are dangling over both sides. She raised her eyebrows curiously. It was then she realized she was resting on Cheetor's back. She must have accepted his offer of a ride and fallen asleep on him without remembering it.

Yawning, Hallie sits up to stare at the rising sun. Despite being stuck on an alien planet, it was just as amazing and beautiful as Earth. The mountains cast long shadows over the deserted, rock land. They stretch on for miles with the sun's vibrant radiance. Looking around, Hallie noticed the Maximals had been walking all night because they were walking up across the pass to reach the Energon Mountain. They are nearly there now. None of them looked tired at all.

Melody was still fast asleep. She has wrapped her arms around Rhinox like he was her teddy bear.

Hallie takes off her blue baseball cap and pulled off the band for her ponytail so her long brunette hair settles down. She uses her fingers to brush and massage her sore head. Then she tightens her ponytail up again and puts her cap back on her head, her hands clammy and shaking. Her movements were unsure. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, hoping it would slow her racing heartbeat.

"Are you alright?" Cheetor asked.

Hallie yelped when she heard his voice. "Yeah. I'm fine." she said, swallowing hard.

"You don't have to be."

Shrugging this, Hallie crawled over to his side and steps off so she can walk beside him. She stretches her arms out and then relaxes. She never felt so stiff and sore.

Melody had just woken up from her nap. She also witnesses the sun rising on the cliffs' horizon. It was the most beautiful sight she has ever seen. She didn't react to the Maximals like her sister. She looked tired, but not scared. Then her stomach growled. "Are we there yet?" Melody whined."I'm so hungry."

Hallie had face-palmed when she heard this. "Will you shut up? We're both hungry." she grumbled.

Melody looked hurt, but didn't complain again. She pulled out her glittered hairband from her front overall pocket and slips it on her blonde head.

The Maximals slowed down their pace so they can communicate with the Thorne sisters and know about their needs since the girls are going to be staying with them.

"When was the last time you ate?" Optimus asked.

Hallie began to notice how quickly she and Melody was getting used to the Maximals' company. Hallie recalled the last time they ate a good meal. "Last time we had dinner, it was two nights ago." she said.

Melody recalled the mashed potatoes, chicken, carrots and broccoli and rice with gravy that Grandpa and Grandma made for them. It tasted so delicious that just thinking about it is making Melody's mouth water. In fact, she was more concerned if she was going to walk again. "My ankle doesn't hurt so much now." she insisted.

That was when the Maximals stopped walking since they have arrived at their destination before the Predacons. Hallie goes over to her sister and gently examines her ankle. It was less swollen which means it will be okay but still be sore.

Before anyone could stop her, an excited Melody slips off Rhinox's back and lands on her feet. She yelped when pain flared up and she collapses on the ground. "It still hurts!" she cried, tears flowing.

Hallie kneels down to her sister's level. "Be patient." Hallie explained calmly. "It takes time to heal."

Slowly and painfully, Melody pulls herself up and barely stands on her sore ankle. "When?" she pouted.

Annoyed, Dinobot lets out an irritated snarl. "She is infernally annoying!" he yelled.

"Tell me about it." Hallie smirks mischievously.

Rattrap looks up worriedly at his gorilla leader. "I'm telling ya, Primal, they'll get us killed, including Chopperface here." he stated. "Do you even have a plan?"

"I agree with the rodent." Dinobot said, sneering back at him. "Why exactly do we need to protect these humans? I do not see why we should listen to their whims."

Optimus seems to be puzzling over this but remains stoic. "Our Autobot ancestors and their human allies once worked together to defeat the Decepticons. It is our duty to protect the innocent. Hallie and Melody may be small, but they are capable of so much more."

Hallie was really mad at Dinobot for his disregard for human life since she doesn't trust him. But Rattrap is the problem. He does nothing but complain and disrespects her and Melody for just being human.

"These little kids can't even defend themselves." Rattrap taunted, looking down at them.

Sick of his attitude, Hallie stood up for herself. "Jerk!" she insulted.

Rattrap's ratty ears shot up at this offence. "Whatcha called me?"

"You heard me, rat." Hallie said rudely. "I don't like you either. So why don't you crawl back to whatever sewer you came from!"

Dinobot sniggers at the way the impudent human had smartly told the rodent off.

Optimus exasperated in frustration. Humans, especially children, were more complex and strange than he imagined them to be. "Don't you ever stop arguing?" he asked.

"He started it." Hallie complained, pointing at Rattrap.

"You don't let go of things easily, do you?"

"Nope." Hallie replied, ending the conversation.

* * *

**_Elsewhere…_**

Megatron and the Predacons have already arrived at the mountain and are ascending up toward the enormous and numerous Energon crystals before them.

"So much Energon!" Megatron said with desire. "Yesss! I can almost taste its power!"

Tarantulas was suddenly in a panicked state. "The Energon fields would destroy us as robots in less than a minute! We will have to stay in beast form! And Optimus and the Maximals are coming!" he shouted, twitching his fangs.

Megatron acknowledged this and said: "They must stay in beast form as well and I will handle Optimus personally."

"What about the humans, sir?" Scorponok asked, itching for a fight.

"Yesss. They can prove to be useful in gathering the Energon for us."

Then Megatron turned to face his troops. "So no harm may come to them unless I say so! Understood?" he demanded.

Terrorsaur, Waspinator, Scorponok and Tarantulas nodded in agreement, although reluctantly.

As Megatron and the Predacons move to carry out their assault, Scorponok noticed that Tarantulas is carrying a pink rucksack on his back that belongs to one of the two human brats. "There's nothing in there but junk!" Scorponok stated bitterly. "What'd you plan to do with it?"

"All in good time." Tarantulas said creepily.

* * *

The Maximals and the Thorne sisters had arrived at the top of the Energon mountain roughly the same time. They can hear the humming, melodic sound emanating from the giant Energon crystals. The sight of the shimmering rocks was enough to make Hallie and Melody stare in awe. Rhinox knew that the Energon radiation is so high that they had no choice but to stay in beast mode. Before the Thorne sisters could follow up after the Maximals, Rattrap stepped out in front of them. "Hey, hey, hey, hey!" he said, waving his paws out. "This place isn't for little girls."

"I'm not afraid to fight." Hallie argued.

Then Rattrap rolled his optics and he climbs over the ridge to join his comrades. "Not with Predacons ya don't. Let alone a Decepticon." he muttered with sarcasm.

Hallie scoffed at this. "Tell me something I don't know." she said.

As the Thorne sisters watched their Maximal protectors, they spotted the purple T-rex called Megatron popping out from across a pass through the top mountain. He lets out a roar, summoning Terrorsaur, Tarantulas, Scorponok and Waspinator from their hiding place. They have been waiting as both sides eye each other.

"Across the galaxy, it has come to this, Optimus Primal." Megatron said smugly. "Face to face, tooth to claw. Yesss. Have you anything to say?"

Optimus looked indifferent. "I'd say that's Prime. Let's do it!" he said, letting out a feral roar.

After the prerequisite speech from Megatron, both sides charge and begin tearing into one another in beast form.

Dazed from the impact, Megatron stands up and looks upon an angry Optimus before being given a whack on the head. The purple T-rex collapsed from this.

Waspinator is hovering above Cheetor, ready to strike. But the cheetah leaps on top of the wasp and brings him down to the ground. When Rhinox charges him, Terrorsaur holds his wing out like a cape like a matador. Rhinox duly charges through it as Terrorsaur whips it back and the rhino bursts through a rock half his size. Scorponok snaps his claws at Dinobot, but the raptor lashes out with his teeth. While most of them are attacking one another, there was no sight of Rattrap or the giant spider either.

"I hope our friends are okay." Melody muttered.

Hallie couldn't believe her ears. Her sister can be so naive but not stupid. "The Maximals are not our friends," Hallie stated coldly. "They're our ride home now. Nothing more."

The Thorne sisters had to keep the volume of their argument down to a minimum to prevent discovery.

"They did help us out." Melody insisted, still looking at the Maximals and the Predacons' fight.

Hallie turned away from the battle to face her sister. "Help?" Hallie scoffed. "They almost got us killed."

While scanning the field of Energon crystals, Melody saw her pink rucksack and her favorite teddy bear Mr. Snuggles sitting out in the open battlefield. She has missed him so much. Melody began tugging at her sister's black jacket. "Hallie, its Mr. Snuggles! Let's go get him!" she cried with excitement.

Hallie had a bad feeling about this. "No way, Mel." she said. "Think about it! Why is your teddy bear out there and not in the jungle where we left him? It smells like a trap."

Melody does her famous puppy face out of desperation. "But I need him." she begged.

"It's too dangerous." Hallie said, shaking her head.

"PLEASE!"

"Forget it!" Hallie snapped.

Unexpectedly, Melody ran off impulsively to get her teddy bear back. Her ankle still hurt whenever she puts pressure on it so she has to limp to make it through.

Hallie watched gape-mouthed but managed to compose herself long enough to chase after Melody. "Are you crazy? Come back here!" Hallie exclaimed.

When Melody reached her stuff, she slips on her heavy pink rucksack and happily hugs her stuffed toy.

Just when Melody was within her range, Hallie saw something huge dangling from the ceiling by a single thread as it descends and rested on the Energon crystals. It was Tarantulas. He had been watching them, studying them.

Breathing heavily, Hallie skids to a halt and stood frozen on her spot. The whole thing _was_ a trap. The sight of the giant tarantula has brought on fear so intense that Hallie cannot ignore it. Her muscles tense up, her chest feels like a cannonball dropped on her. Tears pour out of her eyes and her stomach erupts with vomit.

Melody noticed how terrified her sister looked which made her really concerned. "What's wrong, Hallie?" she asked.

"Don't move," Hallie said shakily. She didn't want to tell Melody that Tarantulas is right behind her.

"Is something wrong?" Melody asked, growing afraid.

Instantly, Tarantulas sprang out and landed deftly behind her little sister, causing Hallie to flinch.

Then Melody sensed a presence nearby as she hesitantly looks over her shoulder. The giant, yellow-purple tarantula laughs and stalks toward her. "HEHEHEHEHE!" he snickers madly.

Startled, Melody lets out a scream of terror. She stumbled backward and fell on her backside, weighed down by her rucksack. She raises her arms to protect herself like the scared little girl she is.

Feeling her skin crawling, Hallie wanted to move in and defend Melody, but the thought of the tarantula is just too overwhelming. The paralyzing terror is forcing her not to move or speak.

Before Melody can make a move, Tarantulas spat out a glob of blue web and pinned her to the ground. She was trapped in a web-like cocoon, constricting her movement.

Tarantulas cackles at his catch, overshadowing Melody. "I eat little girls for lunch." He told her.

"Help!" Melody pleaded in short breaths. "Hallie, it's got me!"

Watching in horror, Hallie tries to play it cool, but her panic is very obvious to everyone. Her arachnophobia won't let her come near the giant tarantula. She has no control over these persistent feelings. "I'm…coming, Melody." she replied meekly.

Tarantulas was amused by Hallie's intense fear of him and laughs at this. "Having trouble moving, my dear?" he asked with sick delight.

"S-s-stay away, s-s-spid-d-der or I'll do something…bad." Hallie stammered and gulped. She meant it as a threat but her trembling body portrayed her fear. _This is getting ridiculous._ she thought.

Tarantulas gives Hallie a maniacal look and laughs at her empty, feeble threat.

"Help me, Hallie, please!" Melody screams.

As Hallie frantically checks her surroundings, she noticed there were smaller Energon crystals lying near her foot. They were about the size of her old baseball.

Tarantulas enjoys playing with his prey. His large fangs once tucked into his soft underside is now unleashed for a biting.

Sobbing, Melody starts struggling and lets out a high-pitch scream. She snaps her eyes shut and braces for the worst.

Tarantulas is hovering over his potential meal as his slobbering fangs reach for her neck. But then something hits and explodes at his face, forcing him to skitter back.

BOOM!

"Aaaaaggghhhhhh!" screamed Tarantulas.

Slowly, Melody opens her eyes to find Hallie standing protectively in front of her and clutching an Energon crystal. Hallie takes a deep breath. She positions her baseball throwing arm and then she pushes off the ground with her foot, gaining velocity and leverage.

"Get away from my sister, you freak!" Hallie shouted, before throwing the Energon crystal.

BOOM!

Hissing with pain, Tarantulas overcomes his temporary blindness and became enraged as soon as he catches sight of his attacker Hallie. He cursed himself for underestimating the human girl, for making the same mistake Scorponok did.

"Nice aim, child," the giant tarantulas admitted. His eight eyes gleamed madly. "But that's not gonna stop me from eating you too!"

"Hey, eight eyes!" cried a familiar voice

Tarantulas turns in time to get jumped on by Rattrap and was immediately blinded. "BLAH!" he cried, letting out a choking gasp. His spindly legs outstretched and spasming as the rat pulled at his fangs. Rattrap is really forcing the spider into defeat. "Leave the fighting to us." he told the bewildered Thorne sisters.

"Not bad… for a rat!" Hallie called out.

Rattrap immediately was about to deny what he did. "Hey!" he whined.

With this distraction, Hallie moves in to rescue her sister. She pulled the elastic, sticky webs off and dragged Melody to hide behind some rocks.

Then Hallie hugged her sister ever so tight. "Melody…You've done it again, haven't you?" she said with a chuckle.

"I'm sorry, Hal." Melody whimpers. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen!"

Hallie felt so ashamed for freezing up. She nearly got Melody killed. Tarantulas would have eaten her if it weren't for Rattrap. She was lucky to be alive, they both were. Now that Melody is safe, Hallie has to depend on the Maximals to keep her little sister safe whilst she goes to check on Optimus. Without him, they could never go home.

"Be right back." Hallie said, before dashing off.

Melody was forced to watch helplessly as her big sister runs across the pass through the mountain and in the middle of the Maximal-Predacon battle. "No, wait, Hallie! Come back!" she shouted. She hasn't got a clue what Hallie is up and that scares her.

The truth is Hallie didn't think this through. All she can do now is improvise and hope she and Melody will get out of this alive. She was ducking and dodging past the rocks while the Maximals keep their enemies distracted. But then she was spotted by an unhappy scorpion.

"You!" shouted Scorponok. His optics sharpened with hatred. "Come here!"

Panting, Hallie stood still and anticipates his next move. Before Scorponok can attack her with a vengeful blow, Dinobot steps in and snaps his teeth viciously at the startled scorpion.

Thanking the raptor mentally, Hallie ran off to reach the two separate leaders' battle. By the time she made it, Megatron has Optimus pinned down to the ground and was about to chomp down on the ape's head. But Optimus held his enemy back, although struggling to keep the Predacon leader's large jaws at bay.

"Admit defeat, Maximal!' Megatron snarled. "The Energon shall be ours!"

"Not if I can help it!" Optimus Primal said, refusing to accept defeat.

Using his incredible strength, Optimus Primal flung Megatron over him as the purple T-rex soared past and had his fat head crash through a rocky wall. He was stuck fast.

"Surrender, Megatron! You're scraped!" Optimus shouted.

"NOOO!" echoed Megatron, struggling to get out. "You shall NOT defeat me!"

Letting out angry scream, Megatron smashes his way out and turns to charge toward Optimus like the mindless animal he is acting now. The purple T-rex slams the ape against a rocky wall, smashing it to pieces. Before Optimus could recover, Megatron chomps down on his leg and tears away the synthetic flesh.

Optimus howled in agony.

BOOM!

Groaning, Megatron takes a few steps back when something explodes at his face. Black marks were left on his face from the impact. It was Hallie.

Optimus watches her with surprise. She had just intervened to save him by throwing an Energon crystal. She did so without fear of endangering herself and the determination to make herself useful. She proved her point by throwing another exploding crystal at Megatron, making him madder than ever.

BOOM!

"Stupid girl!" Megatron yelled at her. "Don't you know that Energon is highly explosive upon impact? You will destroy us all!"

Hallie didn't say anything. She just looked defiantly at him. Her fears were only bad when she finds spiders in the bathtub.

Immediately, Optimus used both fists to hit down hard on Megatron's head, knocking him senseless. Then he grabs the tyrant's tail and began swinging him around until Megatron was thrown aside like a ragdoll. Although victorious, Optimus Primal collapsed in a heap. He grunted in pain as he examines his bitten leg. The exposed circuitry is vulnerable to the high Energon radiation that is debilitating him.

Hallie realized how much danger Optimus was in and ran over to his side. "You're hurt…" she replied with gasp.

Worried for her safety, Optimus wraps his arms around Hallie, keeping her close and safe. "Not for long." he groaned.

Megatron had already stood up and is glaring at the both of them, determined to finish what he had started.

Optimus was undeterred from Megatron's look, gazing down at the girl in his arms as he spoke. "It is over, Megatron!" he declared defiantly.

Hallie stared up at him, blinking. She was speechless.

But Megatron refused to give up. "It is _never _over. Noooo!" he retorted angrily.

On a suicidal whim, Megatron transforms as a last desperate gamble. "For if I must die…" he strained, suffering severely from the sudden Energon surge. "I shall take you with me!"

Once he had the last word, Megatron fires a missile directly at Optimus and Hallie. Before the end could come, Dinobot unexpectedly throws himself between them and Megatron, knocking the missile off course with his tail. The raptor had just saved Primal and Hallie.

But the missile continued its journey and exploded in the Energon-laced wall behind the two Maximals and the human girl, triggering a chain reaction. Suddenly, the Energon Mountain begins to shake and vibrate violently…

"It's gonna blow!" Rhinox announced.

The Predacons stood dumbfounded for a few moment, unsure what they should do without Megatron before fleeing for their lives.

"Time to fade, heroes!" Cheetor shouted through the noise.

Rhinox charged toward Optimus, giving his wounded leader a lift so they can quickly get out of here. Rattrap and Melody were riding with them too. As soon as Cheetor was by her side, Hallie didn't object to ride on him. He ran hard and fast to catch up with the others. Time was of the essence now.

* * *

Megatron was just lying where he had fallen in the middle of the destabilizing Energon crystals. He was too numb to feel the excruciating pain from the Energon radiation. He did not care if he lived or died, as he shuts down...

But then Megatron began to consider that if he dies, then no one will step up to free the Predacons from the tyranny of the Maximals. He would have failed his ancestors the Decepticons as well. He couldn't die like this. He had to live! He must live! For the glory of conquest, power and revenge!

As soon as he awakened, Megatron lets a scream as he ran for his life and jumped off the edge. In that moment, the Energon mountain has finally exploded in multiple flashes of brilliant lights.

* * *

**_Elsewhere..._**

The Thorne sisters had ducked underneath Rhinox for cover and raised their arms to shield themselves. They closed their eyes to prevent being blinded and covered their ears to block out the deafening noise. They were trembling so much that their knees were knocking. The Maximals watched as the resultant explosions had totally obliterated what is left of the mountain. The skies were clear as far as they can see. It continues to rain rocks until it finally stops raining. The battle with the Predacons was finally over.

"Thanks." Optimus Primal said, looking over at the raptor.

"My actions do not imply loyalty, Optimus." Dinobot explained with a growl. "I owe you my life. Now we are merely…even."

Optimus Primal nods at this. "I'll accept that."

Hallie realized this raptor might not be so bad when he saved Optimus and her. But she is still stubborn to accept it, especially since they barely got out of the mountain alive. "Um…" she began. "Thanks for saving us."

"It would be dishonorable if I didn't." Dinobot reminded her.

Melody tugs the straps of her heavy rucksack. Her face beams with happiness. "Nice job taking down that big meanie spider, Hallie! You saved me!" she said cheerfully.

Hallie felt embarrassed with the attention. "I was hoping it would work." she admits.

"How did you throw like that without missing?" Cheetor asked.

Hallie looked at Cheetor with pride. "I'm in Little League, remember?" she stated with a grin.

Cheetor was confused at this. He still hasn't got a clue what baseball is.

"I'll tell you about it later." Hallie sighed.

Cheetor then transforms to robot mode and throws Hallie's baseball toward her. She catches it with ease and acknowledges him with a nod.

"Yeah, well, uh," Rattrap began with sarcasm. "At least Megatron's gone and so is the Energon! So it's over! Can we go home now?"

"No, Rattrap." Optimus said, shaking his head. "For now, we're stranded here with the Predacons on this unknown planet. Megatron may be back, and there is still more Energon. If they ever get enough, they could conquer the galaxy."

_This is worse than I thought._ Hallie thought despairingly. She was overwhelmed by sadness. _There's no way Mel and I can ever go home._

Then Optimus and Dinobot turned to stare at the desolated mountain, envisioning the possible battles with the Predacons that the Maximals will suffer and survive.

"So for now, let the battle be here, on this strange primitive world, and let it be called…BEAST WARS!" Optimus proclaimed.


	10. Chapter Ten - Moving In

After walking for what seems like hours, the Maximals, Hallie and Melody Thorne arrived near a cliff over the ravine and came upon what appears to be the Maximal ship called the _Axalon_. The sight of it just takes their breath away. It has a more friendly appearance and environment than what the _Darksyde_ has to offer. Both ships must have once been impressive in space, before the crash-landing ruined their framework and paint job. The only way for the Maximals to protect the Thorne sisters is to have them move in with them.

The sun was already setting.

"So this is your ship?" Dinobot observed. "It could do with more...defensible approach."

"Hey, watch it, Lizard Lips!" Rattrap said angrily. "No one is asking for your opinion on redecorating."

"Who said I needed your permission, cheese eater!" scowled Dinobot.

Hallie crosses her arms and sighs typically at their childish bickering. Rattrap and Dinobot are so similar to her and Melody, because they always start a fight over the most petty things. It seems that the Maximals have fulfilled their desperate need for somewhere to stay.

The Maximals went underneath the ship and stopped. Melody slips off Rhinox's back. She was walking a lot better and limping less since her fall.

Then Rhinox transforms to robot mode and clicks something on his wrist communicator. There was a metallic sound. The Thorne sisters looked up to see some sliding elevator come down from the ship. Melody hugs her teddy bear tightly as she nervously stayed close to her sister Hallie.

Rhinox and Cheetor takes the first steps forward and boards the elegant elevator, waiting for the two human girls to come. Several moments of silence passed when Cheetor spoke. "Are you girls coming or what?" he asked kindly.

Hallie and Melody flinched at this, surprised and alert when he unexpectedly talked them. They reluctantly stepped onto the platform with the two Maximals and braced themselves as the elevator went back up into the spacecraft, taking them with it. As soon as they were inside, they stepped off the elevator platform to admire the main hub of the Maximal headquarters. There was a round table in the center of the flight deck, four monitors connected to automatic chairs and two separate corridors that lead deeper into the ship.

After five minutes of exploring, Optimus Primal, Dinobot and Rattrap have followed up in the elevator and exited out of it. It was then Hallie noticed something odd about the Maximals. "How come you can be robots in your ship?" she asked suspiciously.

Rhinox was busy typing away on the central computer when he heard her question and replied: "The _Axalon_ is fitted with rectifier coils so we Maximals are protected from the Energon fields outside. We can move about without being harmed as long as we're inside."

As Hallie and Melody have officially move in the Maximal base, Optimus Primal began to lay down the law to them. "Since you girls will be staying with us, I'm setting down few rules." he announced. "First rule: you must listen to my orders at all times. No exceptions. Second: no leaving the base without an escort and no going out after dark."

Hallie barely spoke a word and just shrugs her shoulders. "That's it?" she asked.

Maximals knew something was bothering her, but didn't question her about it.

Then Optimus Primal turned to face Dinobot. Since the raptor is new to the Maximals, he deserves to have his own quarters and access to base to prove to him that he can be trusted. "Also, there should be a spare room for you, Dinobot." he explained. "Go to the third door to the left pass the right corridor. It's next door to where we keep our weapon supplies."

Rattrap wanted to protest against this, but a fierce glare from Optimus shot him down.

"Acceptable, Primal," Dinobot mused, before scowling at everyone. "As long as no one, especially the rodent, enters my quarters,"

The raptor marches off to find his quarters before glaring at the Thorne sisters on the way. He disappears down the corridor, just as soon as he entered it.

Everyone was just ready to recuperate in their rooms after the rough couple of days of fighting Predacons.

"So who wants to do tour for our young guests?" Optimus asked, indicating the human girls.

There was an awkward silence in the Maximal group for a moment until Cheetor spoke up. "I'll do the tour! Follow me, girls." he said eagerly.

Cheetor seems to be the most upbeat of the Maximals. He leads on ahead as Hallie and Melody reluctantly follow after him.

Down the metallic corridor, most of the rooms were used for storing supplies such as Energon cubes, boxes of weapons and ammo. The few rooms left were used as quarters for each of the Maximals to sleep and keep their possessions in.

Upon arriving at the last room, Cheetor presses a button on a small panel which opens the door. Inside the room, there is a large, metal berth that is twice the Thorne sisters' size and a desk where they can place their personal items on with a small stand for them to sit or stand on.

"It's not much," Cheetor admitted. "But it's better than sleeping outside with those Predacons around."

When Hallie finished scanning the room, she motioned to her little sister that it was okay to enter.

Melody hesitantly took a step forward to look inside the room. She didn't want to offend the Maximal who are trying hard to make them feel welcome. But she has been wanting to ask Cheetor a question that has been bugging her for a while. "Do you have any food? We're starving." she asked shyly.

"No problem!" Cheetor prompted. "By daybreak, I'll go out and find food for you girls." he promised.

Melody puts on a beaming smile and hugs his leg. Cheetor pets her head in return.

Hallie was suspicious of his kindness and remains cautious. It may be just a cover so he could take advantage of them. "Why would you help us? Two bratty little girls?" she asked.

Cheetor smiled at her. "I think you're cool and that you know how to shred some Pred!" he said.

"Really?" Hallie asked with suspicion. She crosses her arms. "But are you helping us because you want to? You don't have to pretend."

A moment of empty silence passed before Cheetor responded. "Cause you saved my life, Hallie. I'm helping you because you're my friend."

Hallie paused, letting the statement sink in. Once she decided it was an acceptable answer, she lets her suspicions drop for the sake of a good night sleep.

Cheetor goes to leave their quarters. "And remember," he said with a smile. "if you or Melody ever need anything, we're just down the corridor."

After that, Cheetor starts walking down the hallway again until the Thorne sisters can no longer hear his footsteps against the floor grates.

Hallie goes over to the berth. It was hard and completely made of metal. It was high enough to be for the Thorne sisters to barely hoist themselves over. She went over to the small stand next to the desk and pushes it effortlessly against the berth.

Hallie and Melody had climb over the stand and jump onto the berth.

Melody lets out a small giggle. She kneels down and unpacks her pink rucksack. She pulls out her small T-shirts, underpants, pajamas, waterbottle, toothpastes, toothbrush and mouthwashes.

Hallie sighs in depression at this. They have so little of their stuff left and the Predacons have her rucksack.

"I am so hungry." Melody said with drool. "All we got left are chocolate bars."

"Don't waste them then." Hallie said firmly.

Forced to improvise their comforts, Hallie took their jackets and bundled them up like pillows. Since they have no sink, Hallie and Melody had to use their only waterbottle to soak their toothbrushes and brush their teeth.

After that, Melody wipes the toothpaste stains with her sleeve.

Next was the mouthwash. The Thorne sisters rinsed their mouths and had no choice but to swallow, much to their disgust. "Time for bed now." Hallie groaned.

Melody nodded at this. She takes off her red shoes and unwraps the bandage around her ankle. It still looked a bit red but at least it doesn't hurt anymore. She rests her head against the jacket pillow on her side, shifting a little to make herself comfortable. She hugs her teddy bear close.

Hallie lets a sigh as she lies down. They were totally exhausted after trying to survive. "I bet ten dollars of my allowance that by the time we do get back home to Canada, we'll be a few inches taller and I'll be moodier than usual."

"At least I don't have to worry about school anymore," Melody said, looking on the bright side. "Or homework or bullies. Except the Predacons."

But when Hallie does back to school after the summer, she and her baseball team will split up for Junior High far down south. She wasn't looking forward to it. She hates the idea of meeting new people. She didn't want to end up with the academics. Since their parents' divorce, she was suffering low grades in history and maths at school. She had been faking the report cards so Mom doesn't find out.

"I hate school." Hallie replied. "It's full of pretentious jerks who don't care if you exist."

Melody had only started first grade a year ago. She couldn't read or write. Hallie will have to come up with a schedule to teach her sister ten words per day until she is ready to learn new ones later. That way, Melody won't get left behind in school.

Their eyes drooped closed. Melody hugged Hallie firmly to her chest, letting themselves finally relax and sleep into an enigmatic dream.

_**Day 4...**_

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

Her watch's alarm was beeping unceremoniously loud. Hallie woke up stiff, sore and sleepy on the wide berth. Half chunks of a half-chewed chocolate bar were left on her person. It was all Melody's doing. She just couldn't wait to get up and leave. Sighing, Hallie checked her watch and turned off the alarm. It was 11:30 in the morning. She has overslept. She was hungry and desperate for a bath.

Hallie ties her sprig of brown hair into a ponytail with an elastic band. She crawls over to the edge of the berth and sits over it with her legs dangling. She slides down and lands on her feet. The impact made her head hurt and she stumbled a little. Her injuries were still fresh so she have to take it easy for a few days, perhaps a week. She peels the plasters from her hands and carelessly tosses them aside.

Hallie stepped out of her quarters and began wandering down the gleaming, metallic corridor when she encountered Rattrap and Cheetor. They were talking to her little sister Melody. She looked fascinated and was carrying her old teddy bear.

With her footsteps echoing through the corridor, Hallie was spotted by the three who cease talking and saw her coming their way. Rattrap acknowledges her with an obnoxious smirk. "If it ain't Little Miss Stuck Up."

"Don't call me that." Hallie grumbled. "It's Hallie, okay?"

"Morning, Hallie!" Melody cried, waving happily at her sister.

A weary Hallie rubs the sleep out of her eyes. "You do know you made a mess on our 'bed'?" she asked.

"Sorry, Hal." Melody said meekly.

"When did you get up?" Hallie asked.

Despite being scolded at, Melody explained she was too excited to rest so she woke up early this morning to talk with the Maximals about everything.

Changing the subject, Hallie turned to face the two, towering Maximals to discuss a very important matter. "Is there a bathroom on this ship?" she asked.

Cheetor was confused at this. "Er, Hallie..." he stammers. "There is no bathroom in the Maximal base."

With her eyebrows risen, Hallie was taken aback. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Please, have mercy," she said with despair. "My sister and I have been wearing the same clothes for four days now."

"I can vouch for that." Melody said, waving the smell away.

"What can I say, girls?" Rattrap said casually. "The Axalon was never designed to support humans in the first place. Especially since we haven't seen your kind for centuries."

Hallie examines herself. Her favourite violet t-shirt with black sleeves and jeans were covered in smoke and mud. She smelt of dampness and sweat. She was so not used to this.

Melody spoke up and kindly asked: "Do you think you can build a bathroom for me and my sister, Rattrap? Please?"

Cheetor was keen to share some good news. "Rhinox found some old plans of a bathroom schematic back in the old days when our human allies needed them most." he explained with a smile.

"No worries at all, angel face," Rattrap promises with a mock salute. "In a few days, me and the guys will have one built for ya and ya sister here."

"Thank you, thank you!" Melody said happily.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Hallie muttered, not listening.

Groaning thoughtfully, Hallie just marches off and passes Rattrap, ignoring his sarcastic comments. She didn't want to stay at the Maximal base. Everything was starting to go from bad to worse. No TV, no lavatories, no showers, no food and no water to drink either. This whole base is a prison. She doesn't know why she doesn't trust the Maximals like Melody. Maybe it was part of her defense mechanism. Right now, Hallie just wants to find her missing backpack and go back home.

Melody noticed how distressed Hallie was looking, but didn't say anything.

_**In the Command Center...**_

A bulky crate and little ones was set up for to resemble a makeshift breakfast table. A wooden plate is placed on there, filled with bananas, crowberries and ogbono nuts. Cheetor has brought food for the girls as he promised.

Hallie took a seat. She collected a banana and half a dozen crowberries on her wooden plate. She was very hungry. She starts munching away at a crowberry, enjoying the juicy, sweet flavour. She is observing the Maximals while Melody is chatting them up. Even in robot mode, the Maximals sometimes act like the animals they transform into.

Rhinox was quite the genius of the group. He works hard as an engineer constantly. He is quick and decisive in battle but slow and steady. He was typing away at a computer console, probably trying to analyze the bathroom. Cheetor was sitting next to him.

Optimus and Dinobot were having a private conservation over the holo-table. So far, the raptor-bot has not done anything to harm the Thorne sisters. Hallie was still keeping a sharp eye on him.

Melody came over to join Hallie at the table. Rattrap kneeled down next to them. He was still sharing his story with Melody. He was in rat mode and eating at his 'burger'.

"For your information," Rattrap stated smugly. "I am an explorer. Probably would've been if the boss monkey had just mind his own business."

As Rattrap chatters away, Melody happen to notice his 'burger' is more... expired than it should be. "Eeeeewww...!" she said with disgust. "You eat garbage?"

"I'm a rat. What do ya expect?" Rattrap said, shrugging.

Dinobot looked over when he heard Melody's outburst. "I agree with the little one, vermin." he shudders in distaste. "You should not have your 'breakfast' near the children. It is considered to be...hazardous to their health."

"Man," Rattrap groaned. "Though, what I wouldn't give for a can of oil at O'Malley's. At least the seats were comfortable."

"What's that?" Melody asked.

"It's a bar on Cybertron." Rattrap replied. "Aw, forget it. You wouldn't understand."

Hallie shrugs, keeping to herself. She picks up her banana from her wooden plate. She plans to chew on the sweet mush. As she absentmindedly peels away the yellow skin, Hallie realized there was a mass of tiny spiders inside. She lets out a scream of bloody murder. She leaps up off the bench, dropping the infested banana, stumbling backward until she trips and falls on the floor.

Her spider fear has risen beyond her stress level. She hates everything about them: the webs, their suspending legs, hairy bodies, scuttling, prolonged stillness and the silence. She couldn't move nor could she stop shaking. her heart was hammering hard like a rapid drumbeat. Her hands were shaking uncontrollably.

Melody and Rattrap backed away from the table when Hallie. They were staring at her as if she were a hysterical manic.

The Maximals leap up to their feet and gathered around to see what all the fuss was about. At first, they thought they were under Predacon attack, but it turns out to be a false alarm.

The Maximals chuckled that a tough girl like Hallie Thorne would be afraid of such little insects. But then they remembered how she froze up against facing Tarantulas for the first time. For a long while, no one said anything.

As Hallie tries to catch her breath, she became infuriated when she noticed a crowd is watching her. She has never felt so embarrassed that strangers, especially alien robots, have discovered her arachnophobia. She will be a target of ridicule from now on. She couldn't hear what they were saying, or probably does not care at all. They were probably making fun of her.

"Why don't you take a picture? It'll last longer." Hallie told them in a sarcastic tone.

The Maximals, except Dinobot, were surprised by her aggressive attitude. Still, they did not speak.

Hallie stood up from her collapsed heap. "Do you know how bad I hate spiders?" she asked rhetorically. "I hate spiders more than I hate Predacons."

However, Melody was laughing her head off.

Slowly, Hallie turned to glare at her sister. "I don't see what's so funny about it, Miss I'm-Scared-Of-Bees!" she retorted.

"Hey, I'm allergic to them, okay?!" Melody shrieked angrily.

Hallie groaned in disgust. She was not in the mood for another argument from her annoying little sister. She is overwhelmed by the strange Maximals and their Beast Wars as well as how distant she is from home.

Feeling depressed and withdrawn, Hallie felt another anxiety attack coming. She couldn't breath or focus.

"Are you alright, Hallie?" Optimus Primal asked with concern. "What is it with you and spiders?"

"I - I gotta go!" Hallie said, gasping for air. She flees the command center before anyone could stop her.

"You know? I'm done with bananas." Hallie declared before storming off in a huff down the corridor.

_**In the Thorne Quarters...**_

"This place is a zoo!" Hallie muttered angrily. She has never felt so humiliated. Being surrounded by strangers, especially giant alien robots, made her feel small and insignificant. It felt like getting crushed.

When Hallie made it inside her quarters to gather her thoughts, she took a few deep breaths to calm down. Due to her mistrust of the Maximals, she couldn't help feeling anxious constantly. There is no human to talk to about it because there are none around. Even if there are, they wouldn't understand her, especially Melody. She feels emptiness inside, a longing for home and family.

Hallie had drew some large, red crosses on the wall with a permanent marker pen for baseball practice. She has to practice every now and then for speed sprinting, throwing accuracy and precision hitting. She starts working on her throwing arm so her accuracy remains sharp. She threw the baseball at the target mark as it bounced back and she catches it. Then repeats the action again and again.

Cheetor entered her quarters, hoping to join in for the fun."You're in a lousy mood, huh?" he asked.

Hallie continued to throw the baseball without breaking her focus. "To put it mildly, yes." she replied.

"Have you ever lived on a ship before?" Cheetor asked.

Hallie shakes her head.

"Hmm." Cheetor observed. "Then your mood's probably not going to improve much."

"Nope." Hallie replied. "Not until Melody and I go home."

"I never asked." Cheetor said. "What is your home on Earth like?"

"I was." Hallie began, before correcting herself. "No, I _am_ a member of Little League. I was one of the best performers and athletes during game time. Coach Beck taught me how to throw and swing."

"Is he your father?" Cheetor asked.

Hallie shook her head. "No. But he's good as one."

As Hallie spoke to him with an unwavering tone, Cheetor noticed the bitterness in her voice when she was mentioned about her father. She was always invisible to him.

"Do you think I'm weird?" Hallie asked with concern.

"No," Cheetor insisted. "No. You're...more of a listener. When you have nothing to say, it's okay. All the best ones usually don't."

Hallie fell silent when Cheetor said this. It was probably the first time someone treated her like an adult.

Cheetor noticed this. "I know you're not bad. Don't let others tell you different."

_**Main Command Center...**_

Optimus Primal, Rhinox, Rattrap and Dinobot have gathered together around the central table. Cheetor was not here so they decided to start the meeting without him. They were trying to understand how the Thorne sisters arrived on this planet.

"Even after 300 years," Optimus stated. "Earth simply isn't advanced enough to create their own version of transwarp travel."

Rhinox lets out a groan. "We have more luck getting the defense grid and the CR chambers online, let alone fly this scrapheap."

No one said a word as they await for more of Rhinox's scientific explanation. "Whatever this temporal anomaly is, it is not natural." he finally said.

Optimus was taken aback at this. "Are you saying the girls may know more than they claim to be?" he asked with curiosity.

"I don't know." Rhinox admitted. "Until they provide new information, I'm afraid we're in the dark."

Optimus looked grim. "That's not what I'm worried about. I'm not sure that when we reach Cybertron, the Maximal elders would not approve of having humans temporary stay there, especially children."

The Maximals looked incensed at the mention of their name. It is because of the Maximal elders, they had locked up the knowledge of humanity that the Maximals remain ignorant and continue to strictly follow Cybertronian culture.

"Who cares?" Rhinox argued, slamming his fists down on the table. "We can't just leave them here!"

"Since when did you care about humans?" Dinobot asked.

"Long enough," Rhinox said. "But by Primus, I will never forgive myself if anything happens to the girls."

Rattrap scoffed at this. "Can't say the same for Little Miss Stuck Up though. She's a pain in the afterburners."

"For once I agree with you, rodent." Dinobot nodded.

"What?" Everyone exclaims. No one agreed with Rattrap had to say, except when he has a point.

"Rattrap!" Optimus exclaimed angrily. His outburst silenced everyone in the room. "We have to try get Hallie to know us better. She and Melody need friends. They are alone in this world and without a home. They have no one."

"I'm not saying like that." Rattrap said, looking a little guilty. "We shouldn't get too attached. They're not gonna be in our team forever, ya know."

Optimus lets out a sad sigh. "It's bad enough being taken from your home. Not having anyone get through is worse."

Melody was hiding behind the corner, listening in on their conversation when she told not to. She was glad that some of the Maximals stood up for her. But her main worry is for her sister Hallie's well-being. Ever since she has boarded the Axalon, Hallie has been distant and miserable. Melody wanted to talk to Hallie about it, but she knew her stubborn sister would not listen. Melody's only hope now is that the Maximals might get through to Hallie instead, if she lets them.

_**Evening...**_

Soon, it was already night. Cheetor didn't realize this until he noticed that the sun was setting outside the window. It was his turn to do boring old monitor duty. Before Cheetor is about to take his leave, Hallie unexpectedly stopped him.

"Hey, Cheetor?" Hallie asked. "Do you think Optimus will keep his promise and take me and Melody back home?"

Cheetor froze in mid throw as the baseball misses the target cross on the wall, bouncing away and rolling across the floor. He looked uneasy and sheepish. "Unless you gotta spare transwarp drive, we're more likely at risk getting blown up by Megatron and the Predacons."

Hallie was taken aback at this. She slowly turns her head to look up at him. "Are you saying my sister and I could be stuck on this planet?" she exclaims with shock.

"I'm saying you _are_ stuck on this planet." Cheetor corrected.

"Oh." Hallie sighed.

Cheetor noticed how miserable the little human looked. He knew what it felt like to unable to return home to their worlds. He did his best to smile what he felt was a reassuring one. "It'll be all right." he assured her.

Hallie didn't seem reassured, but she nodded for sake of agreement.

"Anyway, I've gotta go." Cheetor said, leaving her alone to her thoughts. "See you in the morning, Hallie."


	11. Chapter Eleven - The Dangers of Boredom

**_Day 7…_**

Dinobot is marching down the corridor. He is in raptor mode and is not in a good mood. He did not like living at the Maximal base with the two humans, especially the older girl. He cares not to remember her name. She is just asking for trouble. What's more ironic is that her bad attitude reminds him of himself; rash and reckless at one time in his past. Honour gave him meaning in life, as a way of justifying his actions like becoming a Maximal for instance. But he was still a Predacon at spark, a traitor to his own kind. Megatron will not tolerate Dinobot's defiance. He will not. There is only a matter of time before his former Predacon comrades come for him and endanger the little ones.

SMACK!

Something small collides against his side and before he knew it, Dinobot has already tumbled on the floor in a heap. As he gathers his thoughts, Dinobot noticed the older human girl is lying on top of him. Her greasy brunette hair covering half of her pale face. She must have tripped him over. The raptor tries to control his anger, only to let out an incensed growl.

Groaning, Hallie sits up and rubs her sore forehead. When she realized she was resting on Dinobot, Hallie leaps off him and shudders in disgust. Her cheeks burned red from embarrassment and anger. "Why don't you watch where you're going, Dinobot!" she shouted.

Dinobot snarled at her insolence. He lets out a vicious roar and transforms to his mighty robot mode, towering over Hallie. "I can say the same to you!" he snapped at her.

Hallie flinches but maintains a fearless posture. She and Dinobot really don't like each other. Their tempers were so similar that they would flare up like wildfire. Before the fight can become nasty, they heard a familiar but commanding voice.

"What is going on here?" Optimus Primal demanded, striding in the corridor.

"What the heck!" Cheetor grumbled, coming out of his room. He is unhappy his cat nap was interrupted. "Do you know what time it is?"

"I was doing my home sprint workout." Hallie answered with sarcasm. "When this big lug stood in my way and knocked us both over!"

"Me?!" Dinobot spat with spite. "You got in my way first, human!"

Cheetor bursts out laughing. "Who'd have thought old Dinobot would get knocked down by a little girl!"

Then Dinobot gives Cheetor a death glare, silencing the yellow Maximal completely.

Optimus just sighs in exasperation. "Whatever you two are fighting about," he said with strained calm. "I will not have it on my ship. Is that clear?"

Dinobot turned to look down at Hallie. "You're lucky Optimus came when he did, or you'd be in pieces right now." he scowled.

Hallie scoffed at his threat. "Like I care about that, Predacon." she retorted.

Dinobot narrows his optics in fury. "You do to better," he warned. "to know your place, human!"

Immediately, Optimus places his hand over the raptor bot's shoulder before he could carry out his threat any further. "Why were you dashing all over the place?" the Maximal leader asked. He almost expected good news.

"Why?" Hallie asked sourly. "You won't let me and Melody out. We're stuck inside a ship with nothing better to do."

"It is for your own protection, Hallie. You know that." Optimus explained in a fatherly manner. They have argued about going outside since this morning.

_Spare me the warnings. I've heard it so many times. _Hallie thought sarcastically. "By the way," she said, suddenly calm. "Have you seen my sister? I would like a word with her."

Eager to help, Cheetor spoke up and said: "Melody should be with the guys in the command center. They're working on-"

Before Cheetor can explain more, Hallie ran aggressively past Dinobot and down the corridor.

The three Maximals began to chase after her one by one. They had to intervene before any harm is done.

* * *

In the main command center, Rattrap was working on building the pipes and designing irrigaition filters for the human girls' new bathroom in a spare room. Melody was sitting down next to him, playing with her teddy bear Mr. Snuggles. She is the classic example of an innocent child. She laughs and smiles when she is happy.

"MELODY!" shouted an angry voice.

Melody was taken aback at the sound. "I'll just go over there." she said meekly, running over the center table to hide.

Rattrap flinched when he heard the other girl Hallie yelling, that usually means trouble is near. As soon as she came running into the room, Rattrap decided to use the drill to continue constructing the pipes. Hallie noticed the ratty Maximal and gave him a death glare.

"Hey, Toughgirl." Rattrap chuckled nervously. "What's with the look?"

"Where's Melody?" Hallie asked him sternly.

Rattrap started drilling holes loudly in a pipe, hoping he could distract her from Melody or at least, try to avoid another argument he cannot win.

"Hello!" Hallie hollered aggressively. "I'm trying to talk to you over that noise!"

Groaning, Rattrap reluctantly switches off the drill and puts it down. "What are ya so mad about now?" he asked.

"Someone has stolen my baseball cap!"

Rattrap looked confused. "Your what?"

"My blue baseball cap." Hallie said with annoyance. "It's one of my prized possessions. I've had it since I first joined the Blue Beaters. Now where's my sister?"

When Melody tries to sneak away, her foot accidentally hits a screw. It clatters against the other spare parts. It was loud enough to gain notice, which is when all hell broke loose.

"I'm gonna get you!" Hallie shouted, losing it.

Melody made a run for it, dropping her teddy bear in the process.

Rattrap had to stop what he was doing as he backs out of the Thorne sisters' way and is trying not to step on the little ones. Hallie has dashed past him, not caring about his protests as she chases after her little sister. Then he stumbled and fell on his backside.

Finally, Hallie seized Melody's arm to prevent her from running away. She yanked her little sister back toward her harshly.

"Please stop hurting me!" Melody protested. "You're scaring me!"

"Did you steal my baseball cap?" Hallie asked, seething with anger.

Melody was intimidated, but didn't back down. "I didn't touch your stupid cap!" she yelled.

"Liar! Liar! Liar!" Hallie shouted angrily.

Rhinox may be a gentle giant, but he does know how to be the firm uncle whenever he has to be. He was typing away at the control console when he was distracted by the Thorne sisters' loud bickering. "Can I have peace for one minute?" he shouted at them with annoyance. "I can't get any work done!"

Rattrap wasn't going to stand for it either. He is covering up his audio receptors. "If you're gonna slag each other, can't ya do it quietly?" he grumbled.

But Hallie and Melody just ignored them. They didn't care if they were being told off. For one minute they were well behaved like angels, but the next minute they start bickering and fighting like cats and dogs in front of the Maximals. Optimus Primal, Cheetor and Dinobot arrived in the command center. They watch the siblings sort out their conflicts themselves.

Melody pulled her arm free from Hallie's grasp. "Fine." she pouted. "This morning, I _did_ borrow your cap. I wanted to have fun wearing it. But then I needed the bathroom so Cheetor took me outside. I think I left it out there."

"You left it outside?" Hallie exclaims. "I worked hard for several summers to earn that baseball cap! This is why you don't touch my stuff!"

Melody looked sad and starts sniffing. "Please don't be mad." she sobbed.

"You such a crybaby." Hallie sighed.

"I am not!" Melody shouted.

"You can't protect yourself," Hallie stated with frustration. "You complain all the time and no one wants you around!"

Melody looked really furious. "You take that back!" she cried, throwing a tantrum.

"Make me!"

Becoming aggressive, Hallie and Melody starts wrestling and slapping at each other on the floor.

When the conflict becomes physical, Cheetor and Rhinox got in between them and they each grabs a Thorne sister, separating them. The girls try to reach toward each other, shouting and calling each other names.

Suddenly, Optimus Primal stomps his foot down hard. "Will you two be quiet?" he snapped impatiently at them.

Cheetor, Rhinox and the Thorne sisters immediately stopped bickering and turned to stare at the Maximal leader.

Normally, patience is one of Optimus Primal's strongest suits. However, the way the Thorne sisters argue is really stretching his limits. He waited two minutes to see how he should approach them before he reacted. "Thank you." he sighed. "Now what seems to be the problem? I don't care who started it."

"Nothing much," Hallie shrugged. "Other than not having a bath and Melody touching my stuff, I'm bored of being confined in this ship."

Then Melody crossed her arms and turned her back to her older sister. Those siblings were nothing but a bunch of misfits.

"You're sisters." Optimus said. "You can't be that different. Why can't you two just get along?"

Hallie scoffed at this. "But we are different, which is why Melody and I don't get along." she explained.

"What is the matter, Hallie?" Optimus asked curiously. "Even since you've arrived, you've been falling out with everyone. I do not understand why."

Hallie glares up at Optimus. Her voice was calm, but held a note of slight disdain. "I'm just fed up! What else can I do? Sit here and do nothing?"

"For once, Hallie," Optimus said, trying to control his temper. "Can't you just follow my orders? It's too dangerous for you to leave."

Hallie was too stubborn and upset to listen. "Forget it, Optimus! I am not staying in here! Neither is Melody!" she shouted.

"But until you prove yourselves otherwise, I can't trust you." Optimus stated in an emphatic tone.

Hallie throws her arms up in frustration. "You just don't get it!" she exclaimed.

The Maximals were staring down at her. Their optics are accusing her of being a brat. Melody is hiding behind Cheetor, hugging his leg. The pressure was becoming too much. She is already screwing everything up again. She suddenly started running out of the command centre toward her quarters.

"Hallie, wait!" Optimus shouted.

"Just forget it!" Hallie cried unhappily. "Please just...leave me alone!"

* * *

_**In the Thorne Quarters...**_

Enough was enough. Hallie has never felt so frustrated and homesick in her life. She couldn't cope with the pain of homesickness anymore. This place is not home. The Maximals wouldn't understand how she feels, they just won't. There is no doubt the they now viewed her as a jerk. She longs for the outdoors where the real adventure lies. She has to get out. She must get out! Even without Optimus Primal's permission. She couldn't go through the elevator door. She wouldn't how to operate the controls. Besides even if she could, the command center is heavily guarded.

Sighing, Hallie slumps down to the floor and crawls underneath the berth so she can rest and think of a way out.

Then Hallie notices a hidden ventilation shaft in the front wall. She looks through the metal grate. Could she fit through that hole? It could lead her outside of the ship. Ducts were supposed to be totally soundproof and away from any security cameras. When Hallie tries pulling at the metal grate, it was loose but is still screwed in the wall.

Hallie didn't want just her baseball cap back. She wanted fresh air, freedom! She doesn't care if the Predacons are out there. Anything was better than being locked in a cage.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Hallie heard small footsteps came into the room. It was her sister Melody.

"Hallie?" Melody asked timidly. "Why do you have to be so mean?"

"I'm not mean, Mel," Hallie sighed. Then she had an idea. "But I'll try to like our new friends if you do me a special favour."

Her little sister's eyes lit up happily. "What do you need?" Melody asked.

Hallie smirked at how naive her sister really is. "The air conditioner is broken," she lied. "I need a screwdriver to fix it. Can you get one for me?"

Melody nodded her head and quickly ran out the room.

Hallie waited for about almost an hour. She wonders if she is a good sister to Melody. She doubts she can protect her after nearly getting killed numourous times. Much than she cares to admit, Hallie knows Melody is safer with the Maximals. They are stronger and better than her.

Hallie couldn't ask Melody to come outside with her. This was her problem.

As Hallie processes these self doubts, Melody came back breathless and hands over the screwdriver to her older sister.

"I stole it." Melody replied. "From Rhinox's toolbox. He doesn't know. He was too busy talking with the others."

"Thanks, kiddo." Hallie said.

Melody shrugged her shoulders. "No big deal."

Hallie slides underneath their berth and began unscrewing the bolts on the vent.

But when Melody looked up, she realises that the air conditioner fan is actually functioning from above in the ceiling. Her own sister had tricked her. "You're not fixing anything! You don't know how!" she shouted.

Hallie just popped out the last screw. It clatters noisily on the metal floor. "You just figured that out?" she asked with sarcasm.

Melody did not like what her sister is planning to do. She grows worried. "We're not allowed to leave, Hal. Optimus said its not safe."

Hallie just ignores her bratty sister.

"I'm telling."

"Like I care." Hallie huffed. "Go hang out with Rhinox and leave me alone."

Melody looked ready to burst into tears. She ran out of the room, no doubt going to tell the Maximals what her big sister is up to.

Hallie didn't care if she did get caught, feeling that no one loves her anyway. She stuck her fingers through the grate bars and grabs hold of it, groaning as she yanked the grate off the wall. The darkness sat open before her.

* * *

Panting, Hallie wiped the sweat from her forehead. She is crawling through the maintenance duct. She is using her flashlight to see her way through. It was so claustrophobic small that she could do little more than wriggle along on her stomach. She can feel the vibrations against her body. After a while, she was able to crawl on her hands and knees as fast as they would carry her. She made a lot of noise but she was long past caring. She met another duct, lowers herself down another level and began sliding down until she eventually reaches the end of the duct.

A few moments later, Hallie felt fresh air blowing coolly away at her face. A metal grate appeared before her. She could see the sunlight on the other side of the bars.

_This is it!_ Hallie thought with a smirk. She rested on her back and began kicking down on the grate hard, throwing it out. She slips and falls out, landing on her backside. She looks up at the ship. She must have fallen at least five metres high.

As Hallie gathers her bearings, she realises she is standing outside the Axalon. She threw up her arms in the air, declaring victory. She didn't shout in case the Maximals might hear her. Then she notices her violet-black t-shirt and jeans is covered in layers of dust and grease. She really needs a bath fast.

_Where_ _is_ _my_ _cap?_ Hallie thought. _Melody_ _has_ _only_ _left_ _it_ _out_ _here_ _this_ _morning_!

Hallie scanned her surroundings until she noticed there was a large pile of rocks near the cliffs. Upon closer inspection, she sees her blue baseball cap resting on them. She runs over to retrieve it. As soon as she puts on her cap, Hallie notices the waterfall flowing harmoniously down across the roaring river below the cliffs.

Then Hallie looks up to stare at the horizon. It was a beautiful evening. The sun is about to set. It was overlooking a sparkling, blue lake. The air was humid but it is growing cold. Nothing seemed to be alive out there. The view reminds her of Moraine Lake in Canada. She did not had the time to admire it. Life will never be the same again.

For a moment, Hallie hoped to leave the Maximal base and never come back. But not without her sister Melody.

Hallie began to wonder where the horizon would take her, when -

BOOM!

There was a thunderous sound, like massive metal slamming against the ground repeatedly. Then she heard a voice. It was harsh, but it had anger which made Hallie feel scared.

Then, to confirm who the voice belonged to, Hallie turned around to find Dinobot standing over her. He was in robot mode and is not in a good mood. He instantly grabs the front of her shirt, lifting her up to his height and starts scolding at her.

"How did you get out?" Dinobot demanded.

"Pick on someone your own size!" Hallie shouted, trying to pry his clawed fingers off.

"You will answer me," Dinobot said in a threatening tone. "or I'll tear you up!"

Hallie shivered at his anger. She held back the part of getting back her baseball cap. "I just wanted fresh air and to get away from you!" she complained angrily.

However, Dinobot was not amused by her sarcasm or her constant defiance. "You are foolish," he stated with a growl. "You would not survive in the wild if it were not for the Maximals."

Hallie glared at him, punching harmlessly on his grip. "I don't need you guys to protect me and Melody." she said.

"Honor dictates that I must." Dinobot said, cringing at his words. "The Predacons would not hesitate to harm you pitiful humans! If I were Megatron, you would not be talking right now."

Hallie was still not convinced that Dinobot's intentions were entirely for selfless reasons. "We don't want trouble. We didn't even ask for it!" she shouted.

Dinobot snorted at this. "Yet, you seem to thrive on being a troublemaker. You are a child, not a warrior."

"Don't tell me what to do." Hallie warned him in a low tone.

Dinobot continues to argue, as if he were mocking her. "You make poor, hasty decisions. Like the time Tarantulas almost had your sister at the mountain, you stood there and watched."

That was the last straw for Hallie. "Shut up!" she snapped. "We don't need you Maximals protecting us, especially an ex-Predacon. We're better off without you."

Dinobot stared at her for a moment. At first, Hallie thought he was going to vent his anger on her. But instead, he replied: "Not all bots are like Megatron."

Dinobot was just about to drag Hallie back inside the Maximal base when he suddenly stops to sniff the air. He senses that there is someone else with them out here. He does not doubt his instincts. They have never failed him.

Even though the both of them are alone, Hallie thought that she too had heard movement. She hoped that she was wrong.

"Hello, Dinobot," greeted a voice.

Dinobot and Hallie whirled their heads around to suddenly find a familiar, sinister figure is looming before them. It was Megatron. He was still alive. It was true that evil never dies.

"What...?" was all Hallie could managed.

Terrorsaur and Waspinator were flying overhead before transforming in mid-air and landing on the ground, joining their leader's side. Tarantulas and Scorponok jumped out from behind rock cover. They stick to their beast modes, perhaps to scare Hallie since they do not like her very much. It was working.

The Predacons came almost silently. They must have been watching for a while. Now the Maximal and the human are in deep trouble now. There was nowhere to run to except down to the river.

"Well, well, well," Megatron said insincerely. "Out for a stroll with your pet, Dinobot?"

The Predacons were laughing at the infuriated raptor warrior.

"Babysitting the little brat must be hard work." Tarantulas snickers. His fangs were twitching.

Terrorsaur crosses his arms. He keeps his guard up by clutching his laser pistol close. "It's a mystery that you hasn't snapped yet from living with those Maximal weaklings." he chuckled.

"Yeah," Scorponok laughed. "Who knew he was soft?"

Waspinator agreed with him and couldn't stop chuckling out loud. "Wazzpinator agrees!"

Dinobot narrowed his slit optics at his former comrades. He was ready for a fight he knew he couldn't win. He releases Hallie, who lands on her feet and backs away from him.

"You never should have betrayed me, Dinobot." Megatron said, giving out a dangerous glare. "But I am in a good mood so I might consider sparing your pathetic life."

"I am listening." Dinobot said, remaining on guard.

Megatron smirked at this. "You will surrender the human girl to me. There is still much to discuss about her arrival. In exchange, I might let you back into my fold."

"What the..." Hallie trailed off when she realized what she had just heard. She stared up at Dinobot and then at Megatron, silenced by surprise and fear. It was possible she was scared of both. She took a few tentative steps back. She expects her protector to accept the deal after all the crap she has put him through.

But Dinobot unexpectedly pulls out his spiky sword and points at his former leader. "Go to the Pit!" he yelled.

"I figured you might say that." Megatron said casually, before opening fire.

Dinobot leaps aside and nimbly lands on his feet. He fires his green optic lasers at the Predacon leader who refuses to flee. The Predacons also fired back in response, though not as aggressively as last time.

Their frequent firepower is blasting up holes in ground. This is preventing Hallie from running for help. She is covering her ears to block out the noise. She has never felt so scared and helpless.

Dinobot dodged and stayed where he was to cover Hallie until the Maximals come out of their ship. He was trying to protect her from danger.

Waspinator and Terrorsaur flew on top of Dinobot and rains down hellfire that inflicts heavy damage onto the ex-Predacon. He lost his balance and slips to his knees.

Tarantulas began crawling closer to Hallie from the sidelines.

As Hallie backs away, her foot slips through the crumbling cliff. She had almost stumbled over and fought to regain her balance. She could have fallen into the river.

Looking down, Hallie can see the powerful waves pounding against the craggy rocks below, splashing up sprays. "It doesn't look that deep." she muttered, dreading the heights.

It was during the battle that Scorponok sees her. He angrily snaps his claws. She has humiliated him for the last time. In act of vengeance, he transforms to robot mode and aims his claw at her. Then he fires a missile.

Dinobot saw this. He immediately jumps toward Hallie, grabbing and moving her out of the way. The shot missed them, hitting the ground where they stood and knocking a startled Tarantulas back.

BOOM!

The force of the blast was enough to send them hurtling over the cliff and plummet down toward their doom.

As they fell, Hallie lets out a high pitch scream. Dinobot held onto her close to him. He was determined to not let her go. She saw the sky going black as they suddenly plunge beneath the water. The cold struck Hallie like a thousand knives stabbing at her body. She couldn't breathe.

Dinobot fought to the surface. They emerged wet and miserable. The rapid waves were forcing them further from the Maximal base, sinking and rising along the way.

The stream forces Dinobot to dodge some jagged rocks that popped in the view. That was until he collides against a large jagged rock which nearly stunned him into submission. In his weakened state, he barely manages to hold onto the rock. But the impact also made him lose his grip on the human girl.

Through the ripping currents, Hallie felt herself being pulled away from Dinobot's grasp, separating from him. She was being tossed about, spasming her arms to push above the water. She could see Dinobot but he grows more distant.

"Help!" Hallie spluttered.

Hallie had swallowed water and is battling to catch her breath before being forced underwater over and over again. She was a good swimmer, but not strong enough. The currents were too powerful. Her strength was giving out. As the water engulfs her again, the world grew black.

* * *

**_Above…_**

The Predacons stood dumbfounded at what they have just witnessed.

Then Megatron gave Scorponok a furious whack on the head. He lets out a painful groan and nurses his sore head.

"Idiot!" Megatron shouted angrily. "I needed the girl alive!"

Scorponok merely cowers under his leader's wrath. "Forgive me..." he whimpered.

Megatron scoffed at his pathetic state and turned to face Terrorsaur and Waspinator.

"Find the girl and bring her to me." he ordered.

The two flyers are already diving down the cliffs. They were hovering above the roaring river, scanning for survivors. They soon came upon Dinobot. He was too weak to defend himself as he lies on top of the rocks.

Waspinator and Terrorsaur were impressed that their old comrade had survived worse. But they decided he was not worth their time so they left Dinobot to rot.

However, after a while, Waspinator and Terrorsaur soon came realised that the human girl was nowhere to be found in the roaring river.

"Waspinator does not see fleshy bot anywhere. Does Terror-bot?" the giant wasp buzzed.

"Negative," Terrorsaur squawked. "She must have drowned. The boss is not gonna like this. We were so close. It's your turn to tell Megatron the bad news."

Waspinator lets out a groan. "Waspinator to Megatron," he reported on his comm. "No sign of female fleshy-bot."

Before Megatron can roar out his frustration, he notices the Maximals were coming out of their ship.

Suddenly, Megatron can felt the Energon surges crippling him. He was straining to control his pain to prevent looking weak in front of his troops. He masks it with anger. "This is not over. Noooo!" he growled. "Predacons! Retreat back to base!"

Tarantulas was surprised at this. "What?!" he exclaims. "But...We came all this way. We must start a search for the girl. She may have survived."

"Nothing, not even a human, can survive a fall like that." Megatron stated.

"I insist that we -"

Megatron turned sharply at his lieutenant who flinched at this reaction. "Remember who is in charge, Tarantulas." he said in a low tone.

Then Megatron transforms to his T-Rex mode and stomps out of the area. His minions follows his lead back toward the _Darksyde_.

Tarantulas was disappointed. His narrowed glare at Megatron is secretly hiding a hint of hatred. He transforms to his spider mode and scuttles off elsewhere to his secret lab.

As soon as Melody told them what was going on, Optimus Primal sent Dinobot out to bring Hallie back. But when the Maximals saw Megatron on the monitors, they ran out to witness the whole battle happening. The moment they came out of the _Axalon_, they heard Hallie screaming. They had arrived too late to prevent her and Dinobot from falling to their deaths.

Rhinox and Rattrap ran after the fleeing Predacons to make sure there are not any stragglers staying behind.

While investigating, Cheetor found Hallie's blue cap laying right near the cliffs. He looked worried. He picks it up and shows it to his leader. "Hey, Optimus? You don't think...?" he asked, uncertain with the answer.

But Optimus was determined not to give up. Without a word, he flew straight down the ravine toward Dinobot's position.

Soon, Optimus came upon Dinobot who was resting carefully over the jagged rocks. He had transform to raptor mode to prevent the Energon fields from damaging his circuits further. He was battered and injured but alive. He lets out a low growl. "Optimus..." he said weakly.

"Where's Hallie?" Optimus asked with concern.

Without saying a word, Dinobot looked at the direction where the river current is flowing.

"No…" Optimus gasped.

Then Dinobot bows his head in shame.

* * *

**_Dream…_**

_Looking at the mirror, Hallie was wearing a sleeveless, blue dress with white rims at the bottom and a cyan bow around her waist. Her brunette hair is let down instead of being in a ponytail. This was odd, considering that she is a tomboy and hates dresses or anything girly. __Being so little, she forgot how big the world used to be._

_At three years old, Hallie Thorne was a joyful girl who loves to play and smile. But she was the loneliest little girl in the world. __"__Mommy, can you play with me?" she asked so innocently._

_Mom barely noticed her daughter while she was studying her final medical exam in her office. "Just a minute, dear." she replied._

_Grandpa and Grandma entered the room. __They were such kind-hearted souls. They looked younger too. They __had encouraged Mom to spend time with her daughter on so many occasions when Hallie needed her. That was before Melody's time._

_"__Come on, Jenny." Grandpa prompted. "You have plenty of time to do work later. Go play with Hallie. She'll cry if you don't."_

Coughing and spluttering, Hallie opens her eyes to find herself washed up in the shallow waterbed of a creek. She realized that she had almost drowned. She groans in pain and rubs her sore head. She is annoyed with finding herself lying in the mud again.

"Oh, gross!" Hallie hiccups, much to her dismay. "I swallowed some of the water!"

Panting, Hallie drags her heavy, battered body across the shore until she reaches the plain, tall grass. Her movements are almost lazy. She goes to rest against an old oak tree. She inhaled deep breaths and gasped in pain. She rested until she was able to breath normally again.

"Where am I?" Hallie thought.

Hallie checked her surroundings around her but doesn't recognize any of it. The wooded region leads up to mountains that can touch the sky. The sun has already set and it was nearly nightfall. The river must have swept her miles from the Maximal base. Who knows how long she has been unconscious…?

Hallie rungs out her wet hair. Her clothes were soaked but at least they don't smell so much anymore. She took off her socks and unlaced her black all-star shoes to dry off. She lets out a sigh. She was lost. She was on her own. She wasn't in the mood to go wandering off in the dark, even with her flashlight. It was too dark to tell.

The Maximals must not know that she is still alive. If they did, they would have rescued her already. She knew a rescue party would find her if she stayed where she was. But the Predacons can find her too. She can't risk that.

Hallie reaches in her pocket and pulls out her walking talkie. It was a good thing it is waterproof.

"Hello? Melody, can you hear me?" Hallie asked, releasing the button.

A frustrated Hallie had tried calling Melody for five minutes, but she keeps receiving nothing but static. The walkie talkie had a ten mile radius so the Maximal base shouldn't be that far. But the Energon fields are interfering with the broadcasting signal. She tried calling again three times before giving up. Either Melody couldn't hear her or she is not in the room. There was no sense wasting the battery so Hallie switches it off to preserve it.

Her stomach grumbled like crazy. Hallie hardly noticed her hunger at all. She wants to go home. Her heart knew only sadness and cried a little. She had knew for certain she is alone.

But then Hallie snaps out of her despair when she analyzes the creek that roughly brought her here. If she follows the river, then maybe she can get back to the Maximal base. With the problem solved, Hallie was renewed with hope. She puts on her dry black all-star shoes and ties up her shoelaces.

Using a screwdriver, Hallie carves out her initials 'H.T.' and an arrow on a large oak tree to mark out her last location for the Maximals to find. She began her hiking trip by following the river alongside forward. Her sister is back at the base. She's waiting for her. As much as Hallie is glad to be away from the Maximals, she refuses to abandon Melody. She will go back and take her sister out of there if it's the last thing she will do.


	12. Chapter Twelve - Alone

_**Tonight...**_

Throughout the night, Hallie Thorne has been trekking her way across the rough terrain, letting out harsh gasps for air. The muscles in her legs are like rubber and her feet are sore. She has been walking for quite a while. She was exhausted and her body was growing heavier by the minute. She couldn't possibly take another agonizing step. She is nowhere near the Maximal base.

Hallie slows to a stop and rested on her knees. She is catching her breath. Her battered body is still suffering bruises from her wild trip down the river. She is also soaking wet and is freezing. She decides to find shelter in the bushes within the treeline but stays close to the river. She has to remain out of sight so the Predacons cannot find her.

Hallie crawled deep into the bushes and sat inside a hollow area. Her weakness made her pace slower. Taking a deep breath, she decides to not take any chances. She has to light a fire. She digs up a small pit with her hands and puts rocks around it.

Then Hallie takes a handful of twigs and dry leaves, dropping them in the pit. She starts collecting and arranging bark. She pulled off the thin sticks off the bushes, snapping them in half and putting them in the pit teepee style. She found half a log outside near the trees and brought it into her cold hideaway. She places it near the pit and added in some dry leaves on the log.

Hallie went on her knees and picks up another stick. She places it in between her shivering hands and pressed the stick hard against the log, running it backwards and forwards to spin it. It was slow and frustrating, but she kept on drilling into the wood until she can see faint smoke. Excited, Hallie softly blows into it.

Soon, an ember of fire is set alight on the dry leaves. Hallie kept blowing slowly and steadily to help spread the fire. The flames grew bigger and bigger. She quickly adds the log to the wood pile. They were already burning and crackling, releasing amounts of heat.

Hallie smiled at this. It looks like watching wildlife documentaries on the TV have paid off. At least she won't have to worry about using up the matches.

Shivering, Hallie rested next to the fire. She was rubbing her trembling hands.

"Well, Mom..." Hallie muttered miserably. "Once again, you were right. I am, without a doubt, the biggest pain in the butt you've ever known. I meet new people who weren't human for a change and what did I do? I overreacted. I pushed them away like I've been doing my whole life. I caused more fights than I meant to. When am I ever gonna grow up? Not now, anyway. I wish you were here now."

Before the divorce, Dad had recklessly invested in the company he worked at to get a promotion. But when the company collapsed, Dad had lost so much money that he was declared bankrupt. It was the final straw for his and Mom's marriage. They were divorced soon after. Hallie and Melody were lucky to be in their mother's custody.

For three months, Mom had to work late at the hospital to save up money Dad had squandered. The divorce had made her emotionally distraught. She took in extra night shifts to get through it and she doesn't always come home until the morning. She was also saving up for Hallie and Melody's future allowances. Mom couldn't always be there for her two daughters but it was for a good cause. She did help lots of people with proper care and treatment. Not once has Mom thought of herself since she started her medical degree. But on her free time, Mom still attends Hallie's baseball games. No matter how many promises she broke, Mom was always there for Hallie and Melody. Even Grandpa and Grandma were there for them too.

Hallie couldn't remember the last time she told her Mom she loved her. There was never any time. Sometimes, Hallie felt guilty for being the cause of her misery. But she always remembered the love and warmth of her mother.

As Hallie goes to lie down and sleep, she wonders how her little sister Melody is coping without her...

* * *

**_At the Maximal base…_**

Optimus Primal was in a sorrow discussion with the Maximals about Hallie's fate. He sent Melody to her room, giving him more time to think his plans over before telling her the bad news. They were indecisive about sending out a search party. It has been six to eight hours since she has disappeared down the river. He felt nothing but guilt. By not trusting Hallie, he has driven her away and she may be lying dead somewhere. He should have seen this coming."Rhinox? Could Hallie still be alive?" he asked as they stood around the round table.

Rhinox shock his helm. "There is no way she would have survived." he stated.

Since the CR chambers are not ready yet, Rhinox is busy trying to fix Dinobot who is resting on a table. He is suffering from heavy burns and damaged circuitry. He was lucky to have survive the fall. Deep down, Dinobot is torn up about what happened to Hallie.

Rattrap scoffed at his leader's hope. "She'll be no worse off than old Chopperface here." he teased.

Dinobot reluctantly growled in agreement. "In becoming attached to these humans, they have made us weak!" he said with a note of displeasure.

Cheetor couldn't believe what he was hearing from his teammates. "Come on!" he shouted. "Hallie is our friend! She could be hurt! We have to find her!"

Dinobot chuckled darkly at that. "I find it hard to believe that I want to be friends with these 'humans'?"

For once, Rattrap agreed with the injured ex-Predacon. "No way, pussycat!" he protested, waving his hands dismissively. "It's a waste of time. She's better off dead if you ask me."

Dinobot and Rattrap had come to an unspoken agreement about Hallie's hostile presence within their group. Even though they saved her life from the Predacons, Hallie still does not give them respect. They both agree she does not trust them and wanted her gone as soon as possible.

Then the Maximals heard someone crying nearby. It could not be them because they do not have tear ducts. As they follow the source of the sound, the Maximals notice Melody is peeking out from behind a bunch of crates twice her size. She looked upset. She must have been listening to their conversation the whole time. Who knows how much she has heard?

Before Optimus Primal can stop her, Melody tearfully ran away back into the corridor toward her quarters.

The Maximals have never felt so guilty.

Furious, Rhinox turned to face both Rattrap and Dinobot. He squeezes his tools so tight. It took all his willpower to not start a physical fight and not risk hurting Dinobot any further. "Now look what you did," he accused.

"Hey...!" Rattrap cried, biting back an insult.

Cheetor narrowed his glare at Rattrap. He leaned over him, bringing Rattrap closer to his face. "Hallie saved my life, rat face." he snarled. "And this is the thanks she gets? If not one of you will rescue her then slag the rest of you."

Cheetor marches and angrily shoves his rodent comrade aside to follow after Melody. He was holding Hallie's blue cap. He knew she needs all the reassurance in the world right now. It was the least he can do for Hallie.

The Maximals expected Optimus Primal to yell at the rookie for his insubordination. But instead, he happen to agree with Cheetor. "And she saved mine as well." he stated.

"But Optimus!" Rattrap exclaims with a whine. "Even though the kid may be alive somewhere, she'll still treat us like slag just because she doesn't trust us."

"Can you blame her?" Optimus argued with a stern look. "How would react if you wound up stranded on an unknown world and be surrounded by total strangers? You would have trust issues too."

"Sheesh!" Rattrap sighed, dropping the subject. "Alright, you made your point, boss monkey..."

Optimus leaned to rest his hands on the central table. "Hallie may not be the most likable person around, but she's still human. She needed us, more than we can know."

Inside, Optimus Primal has his doubts that he is capable of protecting the girls. He lets out a deep sigh of exasperation. He is definitely not prepared for taking care of kids. The two sisters wind each other up constantly. Initially it stresses him out. He may never understand what it means to have a sibling. Their fights were usually a cry for attention, possibly for their mother and father back on Earth.

The Autobots must have had their difficulties with their human allies in the past.

"Maybe we didn't ask enough." Optimus muttered sadly. "If we had just listen to her, then maybe Hallie would have tell us."

"Too late for that." Rattrap replied.

* * *

**_The next morning..._**

**_Day 8..._**

As the morning sun rises from the east, the sunlight reaches out to an unconscious Hallie Thorne. She was sleeping peacefully in the bushes in a fetal position. The fire-pit next to her has burnt out long ago in the night.

When the bright rays reached her face, Hallie stirred from her nap. She lets out a groan and heavily opens her eyes. She winces and covers her eyes from sun. She forces herself to sit up. Her body was stiff and in agony. It took her forever to fall asleep. She had to pretend that she was resting in her treehouse back home.

After rubbing her eyes, Hallie starts coughing. Her throat is dry. She was feeling thirsty. She can hear the river outside the bushes. The rapid water had to be fresh enough to drink. She starts crawling out of her hideout. She can feeling her aching legs. It was taking too long to reach the river bank. She tries to lift herself up but realizes she cannot. Her head was throbbing, making her vision distort.

_"Get your act together, Hallie!" _Coach Beck ordered.

Hearing her mentor's voice encourages her to go on.

"Darn it. I can't go back to sleep now." Hallie said, groaning in pain. "My sister needs me."

Slowly, Hallie stands unsteadily to her feet. Her breathing is low. Everything in her body hurts. Although she is ready to collapse at any moment, she knew she has to go on even if she doesn't have the strength. She sees a long stick near her. She bends down carefully to pick it up and uses it to keep herself steady.

Soon, Hallie makes it to the river bank. She bends down uncomfortably to collect the cold water and began gulping down greedily. Her lips were no longer dry and are coolly soaked.

As Hallie scoops up her next fill, she noticed her reflection is staring back at her. She looked like a mess. Her brunette hair is tangled with leaves and twigs. Her face was pale and slightly bruised. Her lip was cut, probably from biting it nervously. Then her stomach began to complain. She was starving hungry.

Turning around, Hallie examines her surroundings for anything that resembles food and happens to spot a tree. Not just any tree. It was a chestnut tree. It looked similar to the one that lives near her school. Her heart leaps with joy. Grandma told her that chestnuts are a good source of protein. It is supposed to be edible to eat, even in its raw state.

However, this tree was over twenty feet tall. It was too big for her to climb. If it wasn't, she was too injured to climb. Then she had an idea. She stretches her long, walking stick upward to reach up at the branches and began whacking the spiky balls down from the tree. Many have fallen, hitting the ground at low impact multiple times. The brightly green, simple-toothed capsules had to be fresh so the birds or insects cannot eat them first. The flowers have a heavy, unpleasant smell.

When Hallie tries to picks up a green capsule to peel, she lets out a painful cry and drops it on the ground. Those needles really hurt her hand. In her desperation, she forgot how sharp those spikes were. So she uses both of her feet to hold and pull open the prickly, outer shell. Once the dual, red skinned nut inside is exposed, Hallie carefully pulls it out. She began peeling off the red skin to reveal a simple, beige nut and then she washes it in the river.

Slowly, Hallie brings the nut into her mouth and bites into the soft structure with a slight crunch. After munching reluctantly for a few seconds, Hallie realizes it was not so bad. It actually tastes...sweet. It was like having chocolate. At least it brought some of her energy back. This puts a smile on her face.

Hallie began collecting more of those green, spiky capsules and started peeling many of them one by one until there was enough to carry in her arms. By the time she was done peeling, her fingertips were sore. She chewed and munch those nuts down like a ravenous dog. She never knew how hungry she was.

By the time her hunger was satisfied, the sun had moved right over her head. It was the high noon.

Hallie sat down a fallen log to rest. The handful of red nuts left she slipped right into her pockets to eat later. In the process, she felt her walkie talkie inside and pulled it out. She had almost forgotten about it. It was then she decided to try calling her little sister again.

Hallie switches the walkie talkie on as it crackles to life. "Kiddo, you better pick up this time." she muttered.

* * *

**_At the Maximal base…_**

In the Thorne Quarters, an unhappy Melody is lying on the berth, resting against her pink rucksack. It was draped over with her sister's black jacket. She is crying and hugging her teddy bear tightly. She misses her big sister Hallie. She has never felt so lonely and isolated without her. She also clutches the blue cap close to her. She is careful to not bend it.

It was until the next morning that Cheetor decided to visit. He figured that Melody needed some alone time yesterday. He came in to see how she was doing. She was still crying. He gave Melody her sister's blue baseball cap.

"Are you okay?" Cheetor asked.

Unexpectedly, Melody sat up and wraps her arms around his waist.

Cheetor was surprised at this. He pats her head, comforting her. "It's okay, Melody. Everything is gonna be okay." he reassured her.

Melody is too scared and upset to register his comforting words, but she blurts out her problem in a panic. "I miss Hallie," she sobbed.

Cheetor wraps his huge hand around her and hugs her close to his chest with a warm reassuring smile. This was all new to him. He always wanted to be a famous explorer, a warrior. Now he feels like a big brother. "Hey, Melody? What kind of sister is Hallie like back on your world?" he asked, hoping to take her mind off.

Melody looked thoughtful. "We do love each other, but we fight a lot. She can be fun when she's not bossing me around. Sometimes, Mommy would play with us too when she's not working at the hospital. She's a doctor."

Cheetor just listened, taking every word in from Melody. "You speak so fondly of your mother and sister. But what about your father?" he asked curiously.

Melody has such fond memories of her father. He was always loving and pays attention to her. She was too young to remember her parents' divorce clearly because of her young age. All she remembers hearing arguments that upset her and having to move out of their old house. She was not as affected by it as much as Hallie at first.

"I miss Daddy." Melody replied sadly. "Our parents don't live together anymore. We haven't seen or spoken to Daddy for...three months. Hallie told me she hates him."

"But why does Hallie hate him so much?" Cheetor asked.

"I don't know why." Melody said with confusion. "She gets really angry. It's not her fault. She may be mean and stubborn, but it's her way of trying to protect herself and me."

Cheetor just stayed silent. He was taking in from what he had just heard.

"That means she's nice, right?" Melody asked innocently.

"Yeah, of course." Cheetor nodded. Hallie did saved his life. That makes her a good friend in his books. All this time, Hallie was actually afraid. He knew there had to be a reason for her bad attitude and for her to distrust people so much.

"I heard what everyone said." Melody said. "Is Hallie still alive?"

Cheetor was taken aback at what the little girl had just asked him. Her eyes were puffy and wet with tears. He didn't know what to tell her. He couldn't tell her something without getting her hopes up, or disappointing her.

Before Cheetor can give her an answer, something suddenly crackles to life. He and Melody stared at each other with confusion before they turned to follow the source of the static noise: the walkie talkie.

Melody picks up the device next to her and looks at it. There was a distant voice.

_"Hello? Melody?"_ it said with static._ "If you're there, pick up the walkie talkie."_

It was Hallie. Melody and Cheetor were both shocked to hear that Hallie was still alive. At first they thought it was a cruel, Predacon trick and waited to hear what happens next.

_"Come on! I'm not wasting the battery!" _Hallie complained with frustration.

Melody was suddenly happy to hear her sister is alive. Her light blue eyes were twinkling merrily. She squeezes the button and cried: "Oh, Hallie, you're alive! I knew you were alive. Where are you?"

_"I...I don't know." _Hallie explained._ "I'm...somewhere near the river. If you follow it from the base, I'm sure you'll find me."_

Cheetor is also grinning with glee. He carefully takes the walkie talkie from Melody's small hands and stands up from the berth.

"Hallie! Stay on the line." Cheetor said, as he makes a run out of the room and toward the command center.

"Please bring Hallie back!" Melody shouted. She is delighted that her big sister is still alive. For the first time in a while, Melody has hope.

* * *

In the command center, the Maximals were busy doing their usual activities.

At the central table, Optimus Primal is studying and analyzing the 3D geographical map of this strange planet. He is marking out potential Energon deposits in designated sectors, including the Predacon territory.

Rhinox and Rattrap were sitting near the computers. They are still working on the bathroom unit for the girls. It is because of its in-completion that Hallie escaped out of the base. They are determined to make it all up to Melody after the way they talked about her sister.

As for Dinobot, he is laying unconscious on the med berth. His injuries were long repaired and is advised by Rhinox to rest more without straining his body. There is a risk of permanent damage.

That peace is cut short when Cheetor came charging in the command center with the black walkie talkie in his hand. "Guys!" he shouted. "Listen up! Hallie is alive!"

The three Maximals turned their heads in confusion to face their feisty comrade.

"What are you talking about, Cheetor?" Rhinox asked, pausing at his work.

Rattrap couldn't believe it either. "Are you losing it, Spots? The kid is -"

_"Hello! Calling all Maximals!"_ Hallie announced with sarcasm.

Optimus, Rattrap and Rhinox have their optics had widen as they froze in shock. The moment they heard her voice, they went into action.

Immediately, Optimus Primal snatches out of Cheetor's hand. He had to be careful not to crush the tiny device. "Hallie? Are you there?" he asked, squeezing the button and releasing it. He can barely hide his relief.

_"Optimus? Is that you?" _Hallie asked, hissing with crackling static.

The Energon fields outside were interfering with the broadcasting signal.

Optimus leaned in closer to the speakerphone._ "_What is your exact location, Hallie?" he asked.

_"I'm near...the river. That's...all...I...know...!" _Hallie shouted.

The walkie talkie was clear at first, but the static grew louder and distorted and garbled.

The Maximals cringed at the noise hurting their audio receptors. Optimus knew he was losing her fast. He presses and releases the push-to-talk button to listen more. "Hallie?" he asked, raising his voice. "I can barely make you out!"

_"Come on!" _Hallie said, with a frustrated growl._ "Stupid thing...!"_

The walkie talkie's static grew continued sputtering single, incoherent words until it was complete static. Then it went dead.

Optimus let out a groan. _How does she do that?_ he thought._ That girl is more stubborn than he realized._

But once he regains his composure, Optimus Primal decides to finally send a rescue party to fetch Hallie. The river seemed to the logical place to go. It was the last place anyone saw her. He feels responsible for losing Hallie. It would not have happened if he had trusted her more not to run away. She shouldn't be out there when there are Predacons prowling around.

"Maximals, its time we bring Hallie back." Optimus announced, before unsheathing his twin swords. "I'm going to search from the skies. Cheetor, you will run by the ground."

Then Cheetor promptly transforms to his beast mode. "I'm on it." he replied.

"Rattrap," Optimus ordered. "You will stay here to protect Melody."

"No problem, boss monkey." said Rattrap with a mock salute.

Rhinox borrows the walkie talkie and sat down in front of his computer. "I will stay on the scanners to narrow down the weak signal, in case Predacon activity give away Hallie's location." he explained.

Optimus Primal nodded in appreciation. He hopes that his team will reach Hallie before the Predacons do. The two Maximals enter and take the elevator down to begin the search and rescue mission to find Hallie as soon as they reach the ground.

Unbeknownst to everyone, Dinobot is stirring awake from his nap...

* * *

**_At Tarantulas' lair…_**

Inside the deep, dark cavern, Tarantulas is busy typing and studying away at the monitors he had built and modified himself since he crashed on this primitive planet. At least he was not totally deprived of technology. He likes the solitude. There is no one around to interfere with his work. He had more important things to do. Megatron can do whatever he pleases as long as he leaves the spider alone.

Suddenly, the transmitter is broadcasting to life.

Alerted to this, Tarantulas began turning the dial with his claw to tune up the one way signal. What started out as buzzes and crackles has soon become clear.

_"Come on! I'm not wasting the battery!" a girl's voice complained with frustration._

Tarantulas widen his yellow, visor optics in shock. He knew that inferno girl's voice anywhere, especially when she threw those Energon crystals at his face.

_"Oh, Hallie, you're alive!" the other girl cried happily. "I knew you were alive. Where are you?"_

_"I'm...somewhere near the river. If you follow it from the base, I'm sure you'll find me."_

Before, Tarantulas managed to implant a bug inside the little girl's teddy bear during the fight at the Energon mountain. He can listen in on their conversations whenever the human girls are in their room.

Tarantulas swore that he would make that older girl pay. But his curiosity of the human girl's existence restrains him doing rash actions...for now.

Giddy with this new information, Tarantulas contacted Megatron with his comlink. "Megatron!" he reported with a gasp. "I have good news. That little girl is still alive. She is located somewhere near the river due south from the Maximal base."

_"I see..." _Megatron muttered. _"Begin the search party at once and bring that brat back to our base. This time, we will not fail!"_

Tarantulas knew he had to reach her before his Predacon colleagues do. This could be his chance to capture and study the human girl this time. He snickered cruelly at this. "Allow me to accompany you, Megatron. I may have a plan to-"

_"Never mind that."_ Megatron snapped. _"You stay wherever you are and watch the base with Scorponok. Waspinator and Terrorsaur will be accompanying me for the retrieval mission."_

Tarantulas was taken aback when he heard this. "What?!" he exclaimed. "Not even your second in command?"

_"Scorponok is too incompetent for this mission. I doubt the both of you can control your hatred the next time you encounter the girl."_ Megatron replied angrily, before cutting the comlink.

Frustrated, Tarantulas slammed both his fists down on the desk. He hissed in anger. He could not believe he was not going, especially since the girl fears him more than Megatron. It had to be his leader's ego talking, or the fact that Megatron does not trust Scorponok after he tried to kill the girl. Perhaps both.

For now, Tarantulas must obey his leader's orders without drawing attention to himself. His mission is far too important. He still remains obsessed with finding out if the human girls' purpose is to interfere with his secret mission and it has nothing to do with his insatiable appetite...


	13. Chapter Thirteen - Trust

_**Tonight...**_

On a dark, rainy night, Hallie Thorne is walking alone and is listening to the sound of her footsteps. She was tired. Her feet were killing her. She is hungry and thirsty. It was because of her temper that she has to suffer for it. She looked at her watch to see it was 3:27 am in the morning. The howling, cold wind is biting away at her reddened cheeks. It was completely dark around her. It was nearly impossible to see. She swore she could see things out there. She comes face to face with menacing trees which look like monsters. Nothing is limited to the imagination. The only source of heat was herself. The cold made the feeling unpleasant. Her shivering tries to keep her active.

Soon, Hallie found an empty spot underneath a small cave. She hides inside it, her tired body became much more comfortable and laid down as if it were a bed. The aching pains in her legs began to ease away. She waits for the Maximals to come and grows worried when they do not arrive she expects them to. Her fear of the Predacons coming after her is preventing her from having a good night sleep. There, she rests and waits; for she knows not what. Soon, she began to drift into her sleepy state of mind.

_Today was one of the final matches for the Blue Beaters' tryouts against a yellow team. __Hallie was standing out in the baseball field, clutching a bat and dressed in her blue uniform._

_The pitcher boy is staring at her from the mound._

_Her team of eight boys were watching her from behind the gate fence. __They looked excited, as if expecting her to perform a miracle._

_All their families and friends are watching from the stands. Then Hallie saw Mom and her sister Melody sitting out there. They were cheering her on. _

_But something was wrong. Dad was missing. He did not come like he promised...again. He was still working at the estate agents. __Upon realizing this, Hallie couldn't focus. She feels...disappointed with herself._

_Suddenly, the baseball is soaring straight toward her!_

_Surprised, Hallie tries to swing her bat. But she hits nothing instead. She heard a thud and someone sounding the whistle behind her._

_"Strike three! You're out, little girl." the yellow coach said._

_"No! It can't be...!" Hallie gasped._

_Suddenly, the klaxon in the speakers sounded off throughout the stadium. Time was up. The match was over. Everyone was booing at Hallie and the Blue Beaters. Even Coach Beck looked disappointed._

_Hallie realized that by__ missing the third strike, she has cost her team the game. All because she was not paying attention. __In her shock, she drops the baseball bat as it clatters against the ground. __She felt awful. __She had let everyone down._

Hallie jolts up from her sleep, gasping for breath. She wanted to run into her mother's room and be comforted by her, only to realize she is still not back home on Earth yet. The emotions of missing her home and family were taking its toll on her.

These dreams were making Hallie remember some pieces of her past. Her hatred of her Dad was one of them. He was always distant at work, frequently missing out on her baseball matches and birthday parties.

Even when Dad is home, they could never talk about anything and he was barely around for it. Hallie struggled to feel accepted and loved by her father, and rightly so, as he is devoid of most feelings for her. She is jealous that he treats Melody more as a daughter than Hallie herself. She tries so hard to make Dad proud so he would just stop working and just love her.

It was weird for Hallie to be caring what her father thinks who practically ignores her. She couldn't give a crap about him. He hasn't hit her once since she was five, and that was for interrupting his business call. Mom made Dad sleep on the couch for a week, threatening to leave him should he ever hurt their daughter again.

Still, her mother kept her ex-husband David's surname to avoid confusing her work resume. After all, change is hard and it sucks bad.

Melody was always the good girl. She seems to connect with the Maximals more than Hallie herself. She couldn't even try to feel compassion for them because of fear. It is because the sisters were born about five years apart that they have different personalities. Their parents gave them different upbringings.

Since their parents' divorce, Hallie feels like she must take extra responsibility for Melody's well-being and became overprotective of her ever since.

Then Hallie Thorne heard a presence nearby. She raises her head a little and her eyes snap open. Her sense of comfort was shattered once her eyes connected upon the sky. She swore she can hear footsteps coming toward her. She was trembling and crying. She shot up immediately, rolling on her back and instantly regretted that decision. Her body was aching with pain from walking.

"Ah!" Hallie screamed, leaping to her feet. It was then she realized it was only Cheetor in her space. "What do you think you're doing? You scared the crap out of me!" she shouted furiously.

Shocked and silent, Cheetor moves his hands up protectively. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" he protested. "Hallie, calm down! Its just me."

Hallie sighed and crosses her arms unhappily. "What do you want?" she demanded.

"Are you okay?" Cheetor asked.

"What do you think?" Hallie asked with sarcasm.

Cheetor watch over her like he was her big brother. He knew now that through her hardheadedness lies deep-rooted anger that is meant to cover up her true feelings."I'm not your enemy, Hallie. You can trust me. There's no need to cry anymore."

"I'm not crying." Hallie insisted stubbornly, wiping the wet stains from her face.

"Come on, Hal," Cheetor explained. "I wasn't trying to scare you deliberately."

Hallie was so mad. She kneels down to scoop up mud. "No. _This_ is deliberate." she stated, throwing mud at him.

Cheetor was hit in the face with a splat. He lets out a groan and tries to wipe the mud off his face. "What was that for?" he complained.

"For creeping around in the dark!" Hallie yelled.

"Hallie, I-" Cheetor began. He takes a few steps forward when-

BOOM!

"Argh!" Cheetor screamed.

Hallie covers her head and lets out a scream.

Something had blasted Cheetor in the back. He was incapacitated and collapsed to the ground. He is not moving.

Hallie sees Cheetor is lying face down on the ground, supposedly unconscious. She suddenly finding herself worried for him and is kneeling next to him. She was inspecting the burnt mark on his back. He had been shot from behind. She knows exactly who did it and that scared her.

"Cheetor? Cheetor!" Hallie cried, trying to shake his heavy body awake. "Come on. I'm sorry!"

Out of the darkness, a large, sihouette figure stepped out from behind the trees and into the pale moonlight. It was Megatron! He has his T-rex cannon out and is still glowing purple from when he had last fired.

Panting heavily, Hallie stood up and entered into a state of panic. Her fears spiked up as she saw the Predacon leader approach her. His footsteps growing louder by the second. She was biting her lips so hard that she can taste blood. It just made her wish she was home with Melody that much more.

"So you did survive the fall." Megatron mused.

"Oh, crap...!" Hallie stammered and took a tentative step back. Before she could flee, clawed hands came out from behind and grabs her around her chest and arms. She struggles to get free but it was a losing battle.

"Quit your squirming, you little brat!" Terrorsaur grumbled.

Hallie struggles to untangle herself from the Predacon's grasp. "Get your claws off me!" she screamed.

Waspinator came over to inspect Cheetor, pointing his laser pistol at the cat's unconscious form "Oh! Megatron has taken down Cat-bot! Wazzpinator's lucky day!" he buzzed with glee.

Cheetor lets out a quiet moan. His fingers twitched unconsciously.

Waspinator noticed this. "Cat-bot is still functional. Wazzpinator shall terminate puny Cat-bot!" he declared.

"Leave him alone!" Hallie shouted angrily.

Terrorsaur fought to keep the human girl still. She is constantly thrashing and kicking about to break free from his grasp to no avail. She starts to slow from exhaustion.

"Please, don't hurt him." Hallie begged.

Megatron looked amused at this. "Why should you care about this Maximal?" he probed.

Hallie did not say anything. She lets out a despairing sigh. She knew she was defeated and stopped struggling.

Megatron is enjoying seeing his victim looking so helpless. "Keep the pussycat alive for now, Waspinator. He may prove useful." he ordered.

"What is it do you want?" Hallie asked.

Megatron kneeled down to Hallie's level, coming face-to-face with each other. "I merely want you to listen to my side of the story, human-"

"My name is Hallie Thorne." she interrupted curtly.

"Yes," Megatron said, not caring to remember. "You must understand that the Maximals are the reason we Predacons left Cybertron."

Hallie was puzzled at this. "What?" she asked with a scoff.

Megatron began explaining the story in a theatrical approach. "After my Decepticon ancestors lost the Great War," he said. "We Predacons were forced to live under our conquerors' descendants' rule. We were treated like second-class citizens."

There was a sense of anger in his words. "They give us freedom," Megatron explained. "Yet the Maximal Elders have the audacity to demand that we report everything to them like they are parole officers."

There was one question that was bugging Hallie since she first saw the _Darksyde_. "But why steal the Golden Disc?" she asked.

Megatron paused at this for a moment. "The Golden Disc contains information about Earth and Cybertron in the past. The Maximal Elders had the nerve to keep secrets from us, believing that the Predacons might start another war! We Predacons had the right to know! So I stole the Golden Disc, like how the Maximals stole the Predacon life from my people."

Hallie couldn't believe what garbage she is hearing, but she is fighting not to listen. The Predacon leader reminds her so much of her rival team: the Red Riders. The thought of their smug faces and arrogance infuriates her, especially their coach. The Predacons may have suffered, it does not excuse the way they are planning. Everyone has problems, but they do not solve them with threats and violence.

Megatron stood up and looked down at the conflicted Hallie. "Do you think the Maximals will keep their word? I can take you and your sister home instead."

Megatron is just trying to turn Hallie against the Maximals. She is not as naive as her sister Melody. He is probably trying to intimidate her. The nerve of him was making her angry. In fact, it was enough to convince Hallie that the Predacons are not trustworthy.

"But first," Megatron said. "How did you arrive on this planet, human?"

Hallie knew the answer, but she dare not tell him anything. The Predacons might come after Melody next. The information could put her and the Maximals in danger. She will not be responsible for that.

"I don't know," Hallie lied.

Megatron dropped his facade friendly look, revealing his true nature. "Tell me now, human." he snarled, glaring at her. "I will not ask you again."

"I don't know. I swear!" Hallie insisted stubbornly.

Then Megatron squeezes his fists angrily. "I must warn you." he said in a low tone. "If you do not tell me, you will regret this night."

"I don't know nothing!" Hallie yelled, trying to avoid eye contact with him.

Then Hallie noticed there is a shadowy figure was stalking right behind the oblivious Megatron. She recognizes the silhouette and made a half smirk. "There's a reason why I can't tell you." she replied.

Megatron lets out an impatient sigh. "Do enlighten me."

Hallie shakes her head typically. "You talk a lot of crap." she said sarcastically.

Before Megatron can question further, he stops when he hears the click of a gun right behind him. He raises his arms and slowly turns his head to face the Predacon traitor. "You?!" he hissed.

"Release the girl." Dinobot stated.

Hallie was amazed that Dinobot is here and has survived the fall like she did. He is just as tough and stubborn as she is, despite his injuries.

Immediately, Terrorsaur pulled Hallie back and held her close to his chest. She kicks her legs about in protest.

As Megatron slowly turned to face Dinobot, he quickly aimed his T-rex cannon at Dinobot, creating a stand off between them. "Is it vengeance you seek?" he mocked.

Dinobot looked insulted. "I plan to finish what I have started." he snarled.

Then Megatron turned to face his human hostage in Terrorsaur's hands. "Why should you trust Dinobot? He is a traitor. How long will it be before he betrays you?"

Hallie just stares blankly at them.

"Do not let him confuse you!" Dinobot warned her.

As Megatron and Dinobot talked away, Hallie reaches into her jean pocket and pulls out the screwdriver.

Megatron continues his attempt to make Dinobot look bad. "It is clear you have been weakened by Maximal sentiment, Dinobot. I do pity you."

Raising her hand, Hallie thrusts the screwdriver to stab into her captor's hand.

Terrorsaur lets out a painful squawk, forcing him to let go and drop Hallie. He was too busy pulling the sharp tool out of his hand and nursing it.

Dinobot saw Hallie is lying sprawled out on the ground from a complaining Terrorsaur. He narrowed his optics and lets out a low growl. He took his chance, as his optics began to glow green. He fires his duel laser beams directly at his former comrade.

Alert, Hallie could hear Dinobot powering up and immediately ducks down. As expected, Terrorsaur is blasted off his feet and ends up landing in a crumpled position.

Dinobot also takes a shot at a startled Waspinator before he could fight or retreat. He was smoking wreak but still alive.

But Megatron managed to land a punch on Dinobot while he was distracted. He stumbled back, dropping his blaster but he didn't back down. Dinobot glared at his former leader, before unsheathing his rotating sword for a duel.

As Dinobot lashes out, Megatron simply blocked his sword by holding the blade with both hands. "Such a disappointment." he replied, before punching Dinobot.

Dinobot fell to the ground. But he manages swing his legs to catch Megatron's legs and knock him down with a heavy slam.

Before he can collected himself, Megatron is suddenly struck by the Energon field build up. He yelled out in a mix of anger and pain, as he is force to transform into his purple t-rex form.

Then Megatron felt something is constantly whacking his head. He is forced to close his optics. As Megatron opens them a little, he realized it was the human girl who is hitting him with a stick.

Hallie Thorne may be the weakest physically. But when she gets in a fight, she doesn't hold back. "Take that, you big bully!" she cried, continuing to whack him.

This did not hurt Megatron, but it did irritated him so furiously. "You are trying my patience!" he snarled.

Suddenly, Megatron stands up in his mighty, purple T-rex form and towers over her. That was when her courage deserted her when Hallie realized how ridiculously tall he is.

Megatron lets out a deafening roar, blasting air at her face.

Hallie stood frozen, completely shocked at what she just experienced. She was pale with fear and is trembling.

Then Megatron began swinging his tail, slugging Hallie in the gut. She was knocked away. She lands and skids across on her back.

Hallie laid there on the ground, clutching her stomach. She was gasping in pain.

Megatron was stomping toward Hallie, threatening to kill her. His fierce temper shows he is tired of her constant defiance.

Suddenly, a cheetah charged past her and leaps upon a startled Megatron. It was Cheetor. He grabs Megatron's neck, catching him in a choking hold.

"Get away from her!" Cheetor roared angrily.

Cheetor's buttons was pushed when harm was coming to Hallie which made him mad. It was all the same with the Maximals: hurt their friends and their enemies will be on the receiving end of their fists.

As a velociraptor, Dinobot also jumped onto Megatron. He was clawing and biting away at his former leader's neck where he cannot reach despite his frantic attempts to shake the mad beasts off. The two Maximals were ready to beat the living scrap out of Megatron. They did not care what would happen to them.

"HEADS UP!" shouted a familiar voice.

Hallie, Cheetor and Dinobot looked up to the sky to see Optimus Primal suddenly hovering down before them. He opens fire a barrage of missiles at the bewildered Waspinator and Terrorsaur. They ducked and dove for cover.

Optimus Primal landed before a stunned Megatron, who still has two Maximals attached to his back.

"Stand down, you two. I got this." Optimus ordered.

"Yes, Big Bot." Cheetor replied.

"Of course, Primal." Dinobot said with a snort.

Dinobot and Cheetor both jumped off Megatron and ran by their leader and Hallie's side. She just rested where she was, silently observing everything.

Optimus Primal faced the battered Megatron who stood his ground and is ready for a fight.

"Leave," Optimus Primal ordered. "RIGHT. NOW."

With a scoff, Megatron laughed at his opponent's request. "What are you going to do, Primal? Destroy us all?"

Optimus Prime reloads his cannons in response, keeping them aimed at his enemy. "No. Just you." he said firmly.

Megatron narrowed his optics in disappointment at his failure. The fight between the Maximals and the Predacons has apparently ended in a bitter stalemate.

"You may have won, Maximal scum," Megatron said with a glare. "But remember, you won't protect those humans forever. I will be back someday!"

After that, Megatron and the battered Predacons fled into the woods. No doubt they know when they have lost and decided to retreat back to the _Darksyde_.

"Are you okay, Hallie?" Cheetor asked.

Hallie Thorne stands up unsteadily, still clutching her stomach. "He could have killed me, slugging me in the gut like that." she grumbled.

Optimus turned around to face the young human. He was not in the mood for her temper tantrum. "Care to explain why you ran away and put yourself at risk?" he asked.

"What a surprise." Hallie stated with sarcasm. "You're disappointed with me. You're not the first."

"Come on, Hallie," Optimus said with frustration. "You can't keep running from this. What is the matter with you? What are you afraid of?"

Hallie was defensive about this. "Hey, shut up! You're not my real Dad!" she yelled.

But Optimus refuses to back down. "Hallie! We're trying to help you! You're not alone in this."

"Look!" Hallie yelled. "It's none of your business so quit being so nosy, okay?"

"Hallie!" Cheetor complained. "We came to rescue you."

Hallie stared angrily at the Maximals. "I didn't want to be rescued. I'm not some sad little girl."

Optimus shakes his head. "We're going back to base. It's for your own good."

"And if I say no?" Hallie asked, crossing her arms defiantly.

"What do you want from me?" Optimus demanded.

Hallie lets out a scoff. "I want you to admit that you can't take me and Melody home."

Optimus is crestfallen when she mentioned that. He realized that she was homesick all this time. "Hallie, I promised that I will take you both home. Somehow. I don't know when. But I will find a way."

"Oh, screw that!" Hallie groaned. "But when?! My sister and I are stuck here! We didn't ask for any of this!"

Optimus knew that Hallie really needs someone to talk to and help express her feelings if she is going to make friends. "It's alright, Hallie." he reassured her.

"No," Hallie said, shaking her head. "You don't even know me. Melody and I are not like you. We don't belong here. We don't know if we'll ever go back."

"It's not just that, isn't it, Hallie?" Optimus asked.

Hallie looked confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Your father." Optimus Primal replied.

Hallie stiffens at this. She closes her eyes, leaking tears. "I'm not trying to give you a hard time." she said sadly. "It's just… I'm so tired of people always disappointing me and never keeping their promises."

The root of Hallie Thorne's mistrust is the issue with her father. She barely knew her him and pretends not to miss him. She hates him, but she also seeks his approval and love. After her father has broken so many promises, Hallie lost her faith in people. She lets Optimus' words sink in, slowly letting out a breath.

Hallie can read the emotions in Optimus' face: true concern that shows how much he cares for her. "Its just... I...I miss home. I miss my life in Canada." she sobbed.

Optimus Primal is taken aback at this. He, Cheetor and Dinobot were not expecting Hallie to burst into tears. They did not know what to do. They just looked at her.

Hallie hiccuped and sniffled through her tears. "Last year, my Dad was supposed to be there for me at my baseball team's tryouts. He promised, but he never comes. I ended up costing my team the game."

Dinobot looks sympathetically at her. He is normally uncomfortable with this. He is not as caring and emotional as the Maximals. But something told him this felt right and he understood. Although he may never admit it, Dinobot too yearns to return to his homeworld. But because of his Predacon criminal past, he knows that doing so would result in immediate imprisonment.

"I wanted to quit." Hallie explained sadly. "I almost did. But then, Coach Beck told me: 'We all have to lose sometimes to win. If you quit now, then you will never get anywhere in life by giving up.'"

Optimus puts a servo over her shoulder, trying to keep her calm. "I admit that maybe I've been too strict. You were right. You and Melody fight like normal siblings do. But if all else fails, I will let you take a walk outside the base. It provides a perfection distraction without you girls bickering all the time."

Unexpectedly, Hallie wraps her arms around and hugs him.

When Optimus Primal looked down at her, he smiled. Because he now knows something in Hallie that he could trust. Something he cannot explain. She may not be the perfect person to be around, but she's got more guts than most people.

Hallie quietens down and releases the Maximal leader. She sniffled and wiped away her tears. She couldn't help it. She rests her hands over her head and groaned despairingly.

_Great._ Hallie thought._ I had to start bawling like a baby. That was just what I needed. I am becoming like Melody._

Optimus, Cheetor and Dinobot walked beside Hallie to begin their peaceful journey back toward the base on the stretch of a road.

"By the way," Optimus said. "You still left the base without my permission so you're grounded for a week."

"Oh, man!" Hallie groaned.

* * *

_**Back at the base...**_

It was dawn by the time Optimus, Dinobot and Cheetor made it back to the _Axalon_. The Energon fields has prevented them from travelling as robots so they switched to beast mode. They didn't mind the long walk into the night despite their injuries. Hallie has fell asleep all the way back. She has forgotten how exhausted she was with all the excitement going on with the Predacons.

When she awoke, Hallie was confused to find herself already inside the Maximal base. She let out a long yawn and opens her heavy eyes to find she is resting upon a cheetah's back. Her tired, aching body hurts to move. She is feeling hungry and thirsty.

"Morning, sleepyhead," Cheetor said cheerfully.

"Morning," Hallie groaned. "What happened?"

As soon as Hallie stepped off him, Cheetor transforms to robot mode. She kneeled down to her level and began to explain. "Optimus has got everyone back to work on improving the base. I've got monitor duty. Dinobot is in his room resting. Rhinox is pretty mad at him for running off." he said with a chuckle.

"Didn't he just saved our lives?" Hallie asked.

"Yeah," Cheetor nodded. "But Rhinox didn't buy it. He's making old Chopperface rest in his room for a week. Restrained if necessary."

Hallie is looking down at the floor, feeling bad for putting the Maximals through so much trouble.

"We're here for you, Hallie." Cheetor assured gently. "We'll keep you and Melody safe. If there's anything to talk about, we'll be there to listen."

Hallie had to swallow back the lump in her throat, looking away for a moment. "I…I never said. Thank you for saving my life." she said.

Before Cheetor can say much more, Rattrap walked into the command center. He has heard what happened from Optimus Primal about Hallie and the Predacons. He was impressed but he will not admit it to Toughgirl. It was a matter of pride.

"Uh... Good to have ya back, kid." Rattrap replied with embarrassment.

Hallie smirked at him. "It's good to be alive, Rattrap." she said.

"Hallie...?" a familiar voice asked.

Alert, Hallie turned away from Rattrap and saw her little sister Melody standing in front of her. She looked surprised. Then she ran and threw her arms around Hallie's waist.

"You're back! You're back! You're back!" Melody repeated happily. She was filled with tears. Her eyes were red and her nose was running. She hiccuped and gasped. "You're really here."

Hallie is surprised by this sudden affection. Her sore stomach flared, but chose to ignore it. For the moment, their differences were forgotten. "Hey, what's wrong?" she asked.

Melody was afraid that Hallie would disappear again if she stopped talking again. "I'm sorry, it's just...I'm so happy that you're alive. It means so much to me." she cried.

Hallie looked down at her little sister. "If you should thank anybody, thank the Maximals. They're the reason I came back." she said modesty.

Tears rolled their way down her face. Her small arms were stained as Melody clutched Hallie's body as tightly as she could. "You big meanie! Don't ever leave me again." she whined.

Melody broke into sobs so great that she could no longer talk.

Her tears melted Hallie's heart. As she cried, Melody pushed herself up against her sister's chest. Hallie put her arms around her little sister and held her tight.

Optimus, Cheetor and Rattrap can see it was a touching reunion between the two sisters.

Hallie pretended she was noticing something else in the room. She is little embarrassed by the awkward attention. "Ew! You're getting snot over me!" she complained, gently pushing Melody away.

The Maximals were chuckling at the Thorne sisters' typical behavior. It may be something they have to get used to during the girls' stay.

Then Rhinox came marching in the command center. He seemed proud of something. This got everyone's attention. "Girls? Can you follow me?" he asked.

"Where to?" Hallie asked curiously.

"Just follow me." Rhinox replied.

* * *

"WOW!"

"Cool!"

Both Hallie and Melody exclaimed in amazement at what they just saw.

As Rhinox demonstrated, he and his team have already finished building the new bathroom facilities on board the Maximal base. It was installed with a smooth, metallic sink, waste disposal bin, toilet, shower and a bathtub that is already filled with warm water. It was right across from the Thorne sisters' quarters.

"Where do you get all the water from?" Hallie asked.

Rhinox was glad to explain. "I designed and built a water pump that filters from the lake not far from our base. I also installed a heater so the water is not too cold for both of you. I hope it serves you and Melody well."

"And the toilet?" Hallie inquired.

Rhinox looked almost uncomfortable when he heard that. "As for the toilet, it also connects out to the ocean for hygiene reasons. Don't ask anymore."

In response, Melody hugged Rhinox's leg. He chuckles and pats her head affectionately. She giggled at this.

Hallie is still astonished of the new bathroom. "You and the guys did all this for us?" she asked.

"You were more trouble without it." Rhinox said, before leaving. "Enjoy yourselves."

As soon as the door has automatically closed, Melody eagerly jumps into the bathtub with her clothes on.

"Geronimo!" Melody shouted, splashing the bath water out.

Hallie was annoyed and dripping wet. "Melody, you still got your clothes on." she said.

Melody popped her head out of the water. She shrugged at this. "They're stinky anyway." she replied.

Hallie was too exhausted to care. "Yeah, you're right." she sighed contently.

Then Hallie takes off her black jacket and watch, dropping them on the floor. She suddenly jumps and does a cannonball into the giant bathtub. "Incoming!" she shouted.

There was an huge splash that created puddles across the floor. The amazingly warm water made Hallie feel a lot better.

Hallie and Melody were splashing and laughing in the bathtub together.

_**Later...**_

Inside their quarters, Hallie and Melody were dressed in their pajamas and resting on the berth. They had scrubbed and washed themselves with bars of soap that Melody had forgot was in her rucksack. Their hair was silky clean too. They have never smelt so fresh and clean. They dried themselves from enormous, fresh cloths that the Maximals would use to polish their weapons and armor.

But because it is their bathroom, the Thorne sisters are responsible for keeping it clean much to Hallie's dismay and Melody's delight. They have to wash and scrub the dirt off their clothes in the bathtub every day too.

Then Hallie and Melody hung their wet, clean clothes on a black cable that Rhinox and Rattrap had set up. They managed to winch the clothes up to the ceiling where the air conditioner's big fans can dry them.

As Hallie lies on the berth next to Melody, she was trying to tell her a story. "Being able to hit your target from a variety of distance with pinpoint precision is key." she explained.

Melody was clearly bored. She was hugging her teddy bear. "Don't you ever get tired of playing baseball all the time?" she yawned.

"No, Mel." Hallie replied. "Why do you ask?"

"I don't know." Melody said, shrugging. "I would get tired of doing the same thing over and over again."

"Baseball is my life." Hallie stated. "I've been doing this for so long, I don't know how to be anything else. It was the only thing I was ever good at."

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!

There was someone outside the door. It must be one of the Maximals coming to say good night.

"Come in!" Hallie and Melody both cried.

But unexpectedly, it was Dinobot who came limping in. He was supposed to be resting like Rhinox ordered him to. Then again, the stubborn old warrior does not always listen to anyone. He is just as similar to Hallie. "We must talk." he said.

Hallie nodded at this. "Melody, could you leave us alone?" she asked.

Although puzzled, Melody jumps off the berth, landing deftly on the stool before running down the corridor to wait outside.

Hallie tries to sit up. Her bruised body made her flinch with pain. She grits her teeth to hide it.

Dinobot steps inside the room, the door closing behind him. He carefully sits down on the berth next to Hallie.

"Hi," Hallie greeted.

Dinobot remains silent and does not look at her.

"Okay," Hallie said, fidgeting with her hands. "What is it then? Was Megatron telling the truth about your people?"

Dinobot paused in thought of this. "Yes," he replied.

Hallie widen her eyes in shock. "Why would you, an honorable warrior, follow someone like him?" she asked.

Dinobot sighed with a gentle growl. "On Cybertron, the High Council have never trusted the Predacons. Megatron wanted to change all that. He inspired many to join, but only a few like myself believed he would succeed. I had...hoped that our crusade would restore honor and glory to my people."

"And now?" Hallie asked.

"Now," Dinobot began. "I realize that Megatron has no such honor. His cause differs from mine. He desires power above all else and he will do anything to achieve it."

"No doubt about it, he is an evil scumbag." Hallie said.

Dinobot snorted with acknowledgement."You are brave, but reckless. Leave the battles to the real warriors."

Hallie was thoughtful of that. Normally, she does not go looking for a fight. But if Melody is in trouble, she may have no choice but to be involved. "I can't promise you that. Usually, trouble finds me."

Dinobot didn't look down at Hallie but she felt the concern in his voice. "I believe a truce is in order. You have no reason to trust me, but you will need me if you and your sister are to survive the Beast Wars."

Hallie raised her eyebrows. True, she still doesn't trust him because of his former Predacon nature. But she will try take the time to get to know him better with time. It is a good thing he doesn't suspect that she was actually lying about not knowing how she and Melody arrived on this planet.

Carefully, Dinobot reaches out his clawed hand for her to take. Although their size is different, Hallie smiled and took his finger. They shook to seal the truce.

"I just wanted to say...sorry for almost getting you killed." Hallie said.

Dinobot growled before swallowing his pride. "I...apologize as well. Do not tell the rat."

"We'll never hear the end of it." Hallie laughed. "I still think you're a dangerous lizard though."

"The same goes for you, human brat." Dinobot replied with a growl.

Then Dinobot stood up from the berth and marches out of the Thorne quarters. He has to return to his room quickly or he will never hear the end of it from Rhinox. Melody comes running in and began climbing up the stool and on the berth to sit next to her sister Hallie.

"Will you be okay?" Melody asked with concern.

"Yeah." Hallie replied. "Let's just take it one step at a time."

As Hallie said that, she carefully puts her blue baseball cap on Melody's head.

"Next time ask me, okay?" Hallie said, with a teasing tone.

Crying happily, Melody wraps her arms around her sister and hugs her lovingly.

Even though sibling conflict is supposed to be normal, expressing their feelings makes them feel positive. There will be times when the Thorne sisters get along and when they do not. As long as they love and treat each other equally, their conflicted relationship will not last forever. Sooner or later, they will grow up to be better adults.

It was hard not to think of home. For now, Hallie and Melody will just try to live a normal life until that time came. No more running away or worrying about what's going to happen next. They just have to accept that.


	14. Chapter Fourteen - The Web

**_Day 34…_**

At the Maximal base, it was the middle of the night. The Thorne sisters are fast asleep on their shared berth. Their heads are resting on their bundled up jackets. Hallie was sleeping soundly on her back. Her bruises and cuts were long healed. She has grown used to the metal berth underneath her.

However, Melody was mumbling in her sleep. She is tossing and turning. She suddenly snaps her eyes open and jolts upright. It was another nightmare again. "Hallie?" she whimpered.

With a groan, Hallie stirs from her deep sleep. She rolled over to her right side and attempts to go back to sleep. She was trying to ignore her little sister until she felt someone shaking her shoulder.

"Please!" Melody whined.

Hallie looked up at the small figure crying her eyes out. "What? What is it now?" she grumbled.

"Hallie!" Melody shrieked, shaking her sister. "I had that dream again! I was drowning!"

"Did you wet the bed?" Hallie joked dryly.

Melody continues to cry. She wraps her arms around her sister and starts squeezing so hard. Her teddy bear Mr. Snuggles is almost smothered into her.

"It's okay." Hallie said tiredly. "It was just another bad dream."

"Oh, Hal," Melody whined. "I'm so scared."

"Stop breathing on me." Hallie complained.

Inside, Hallie is just absolutely annoyed with Melody. She was driving her crazy. She is just crying all the time. She wishes she had her own bed back, bigger pajamas than the one her sister wears, including her blue rucksack that she lost to the Predacons a month ago.

Whenever Melody had a nightmare, Mom would usually let her sleep in her bed and sing a lullaby until they both fell asleep. Now it was Hallie's turn. She is the closest human being that Melody has to human contact and is desperate to be loved.

**_The next morning…_**

Hallie was half awake. Her baby blue eyes blinked tiredly. She took a huge gulp of water from the large bottle. She is resting against the wall near the open door, hugging her knees close. She is watching Melody draw the Maximals in their animal forms on the walls.

Her sister Melody's blonde hair is fluffy. It is held back thanks to her silver, glittering hairband that gleams under the light. She also had her favourite overalls on. She was humming 'Hushabye Mountain' so happily. She is using different materials on a wooden plate as paint to draw her pictures. There are red, blue berries, yellow flowers, grass, mud and purple flowers. She learned this technique from her first grade teacher Mrs. Bell.

This was the eighth time in the past two weeks that Melody has woken Hallie up because of nightmares. To think the sisters use to hold hands once. It has been two weeks since Hallie's brief adventure with the river and the Predacons. She has since grown used to the Maximals' presence, apart from the occasional argument with Rattrap and Dinobot. They are such pain in the butts.

But now, Hallie really needs her space from Melody who is bugging the heck out of her.. She is so clingy and keeps following her around.

Hallie has such a throbbing headache. "Oh, crap…" she groaned.

"Don't swear. I'll tell." Melody said unhappily. "Will you draw with me?"

When Hallie was a little girl, she remembers Mom catching her drawing on the walls back home and threw a huge fit. Since then she was hesitant in drawing things.

"I don't draw." Hallie huffed. "I'm no good. How many times do I have to tell you?"

Melody frowned at this. "You're no fun. You never want to play." she whined.

Then Hallie remembered today's chores and its her little sister's turn. "You should learn to clean up after yourself, Mel."

"What do you mean?" Melody asked.

"The last time you had a bath," Hallie explained. "You splashed a lot of water on the floor playing submarine. I almost slipped and broke my neck this morning."

Melody pouted at this. "How come I have to clean up?" she asked.

Hallie lets out a exasperated groan. "Because you have to take responsibility. Being a kid isn't an excuse. Besides, it's our bathroom and the Maximals won't help."

Outside in the hallway, Cheetor happens to pass by and is noticed by Hallie who quickly thought up an idea.

"Hey, Cheetor!" Hallie shouted, waving at him. "You and me are on a secret mission. Am I still in?"

"Yeah," Cheetor said with confusion. "Why not?"

Hallie immediately stepped out of the room and started walking alongside Cheetor. But then she realized her little sister is following her.

"Can I come?" Melody asked with a smile.

Hallie raised her eyebrows and acted aloof. "Nah. Me and Cheetor can handle it. Besides, you have to clean up the bathroom. Smell ya later, Mel."

Quickly, Hallie leads Cheetor to pick up the pace away from the Thorne Quarters down the hallway. She has to get away from looking at Melody's sad face so she doesn't feel guilty.

Cheetor noticed this. "Are you guys getting along? You seem tense." he asked.

"Shh!" Hallie hissed. "Get me out of here."

"Come on, Hal," Cheetor insisted.

Hallie lets out a sigh. "Melody's driving me crazy. I'm so sick of it. I just want to get away for a while."

"Then go out." Cheetor suggested.

"I know that." Hallie said with a sigh. "But this place is worse than school. At least I had recess-"

Then Cheetor stopped when he and Hallie made it near the command center. Before Hallie can ask why, she heard Optimus and Rhinox's voices. They were examining a peculiar watch-looking device. She held her breath and began listening in with her cheetah friend.

"Good work, Rhinox." Optimus praised.

"Well," Rhinox began, sounding unsure. "Still needs a field test."

"Test?" Cheetor exclaims loudly.

Before Hallie knew it, the enthusiastic Cheetor sprints past her through the corridor and leaps onto the table. He nearly crashes into Optimus and Rhinox. "I'm your bot! Whatcha got?" he said eagerly.

Despite Cheetor's unexpected arrival, Optimus decides to explain in a professional manner. "Rhinox cobbled together a new comlink. It's going to solve our long-range communication problems."

Hallie remembered when Rhinox borrowed the Thorne sisters' walkie-talkies for examination. That was two weeks ago. He must have been reverse-engineering them to create this new comlink.

"If it works." Rhinox said with doubt.

"Well, let's find out!" Cheetor shouted, before snatching the comlink out of Rhinox's hand. He examines the device by sniffing and it lets off a spark. "Whoa, ultra gear!"

Rhinox frowns at Optimus for trusting the rookie with such a delicate device. The Maximal leader shares his old friend's concern, but shrugs it aside.

"Cheetor," Optimus warned. "It's a valuable piece of equipment. Take care of it."

"I copy, Big Bot." Cheetor replied. "What do I do?"

"The device is voice-activated." Optimus explained, clipping the device on Cheetor's left leg. "Just talk into it and we'll hear you."

"We _hope_." Rhinox corrected.

Optimus sits down on a motion chair that brings him over to a large computer screen. He types away on the keyboard and activates a grid map of the whole Maximal base sector. "Head away from the base at Vector Omega and check in every ten microquads. We'll see how far we can track you. Now if you encounter any Predacons, return immediately."

But Cheetor does not seem to be paying attention. "I'll be moving too fast for them to see me." he said confidently.

With a snarl, Cheetor bolts toward the elevator, as it descends toward the bottom until he is out of sight.

Rhinox had a bad feeling about this. "Mmm. mmm." he mumbled, shaking his head.

However, Optimus Primal is confident and chuckles reassuringly. "He'll do fine." he replied.

Both Maximals watch as the red dot on the grid map, representing Cheetor, move quickly away from the base...

* * *

_**Outside...**_

Without Optimus Primal or Rhinox knowing, Hallie has snuck passed them and went down the elevator to follow after Cheetor. It was so hot outside that Hallie did not bother to bring her black jacket.

As soon as they found each other, Cheetor is already dashing across the rocky wasteland with Hallie riding on his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck. She can feel cool wind blasting at her face. Her wavy brunette hair is flapping about. She will have to brush it again later. Her t-shirt, jeans and black all star shoes are also wrinkled. The frequent washes made her smelt of fresh soap. At least she doesn't stink so much.

"Why did I let you convince me?" Cheetor said with regret.

Hallie sighed at this. "I love the outdoors, just as much as you do. I want to get away from my sister anyway."

Cheetor continues to run and leap over rocks. "Don't you feel bad about leaving her behind?"

Hallie shrugged her shoulders. "Not really. Besides, Melody is too scared to go out. And I just want the freedom that I'm used to. A chance to explore an alien world."

"I don't know," Cheetor said. He can imagine Optimus' disappointed look.

"Come on," Hallie insisted. "We're friends, aren't we? This could be my first mission with you. I can be your scout."

"What about the Predacons?" Cheetor asked.

"I'm not scared of the Predacons!" Hallie announced with a smirk.

Cheetor did a toothy grin. He admires his human friend's enthusiasm. "Neither am I! Let's do it!" he said with a snarl.

* * *

In the middle of the rocky wasteland, Scorponok is digging through a mound amongst the pillars with his claws. He has recently discovered a silver mega-cannon that has wedged itself in the earth. It can prove a great advantage against the Maximals and himself as second in command.

"Megatron will award me for finding this." Scorponok said, struggling to pull the thing loose. "If I can ever get it out of this blasted rock!"

Yelling in frustration, Scorponok scuttles back and is prepared to make his task easier. "Scorponok, Terrorize!" he shouted, transforming to robot mode.

Scorponok takes aim at the rocks with his claw cannon. He had to be careful not to hit the mega-cannon. His claw splits open and unleashes a missile that blows apart the rocks.

* * *

BOOM!

An explosion is heard echoing from a location in the rocky wasteland not far from where Cheetor and Hallie are.

Cheetor skids to a halt so hard that he nearly threw his human passenger off his back. She moves her brunette hair out of her face and tries to collect herself.

"What was that?" Hallie demanded.

Before Hallie could stop him, Cheetor tapped the prototype comm link attached to his leg and came into contact with his leader. "Cheetor to Optimus. Do you read me?" he asked.

_"Yes,"_ Optimus Primal announced. _"And he's over five microquads away! Looks like its working!"_

_"So far,"_ Rhinox said doubtfully.

"I just heard some kind of explosion." Cheetor reported, ready to defy orders. "I'm gonna check it out."

_"Explosion?" _Optimus asked with shock.

"Let's get 'em, Cheetor!" Hallie cried.

_"Hallie?" _Optimus exclaims._ "How did you get out of the base?"_

Hallie cringes when she sensed the anger in Optimus' voice. "I just walked out in the elevator." she explained smartly.

_"Return to the base at once!" _Optimus demanded.

"But I'm with Cheetor." Hallie said. "You said that me and Melody can go out if we had an escort."

_"That is not what I meant." _Optimus said unhappily.

Already nervous, Cheetor immediately takes action and decided to investigate the explosion. "I'll talk to ya in a minute." he said, turning off the commlink.

* * *

Optimus tried in vain to communicate with Cheetor, only to realize too late that the connection has already been cut. "Wait, Cheetor! Don't...!" he protested.

"He's moving again..." Rhinox said ominously.

Optimus sighed in frustration. "I'm going after him." he said, preparing depart down the elevator. "If he calls in, tell him to get out of there _now_!"

Optimus Primal knew he must leave to recover Cheetor and Hallie fast before something bad happens to the both of them.

As soon as Optimus had gone, Melody walked in the command center. She looked lost. She approached her friend Rhinox who happened to notice her standing behind him.

"What's the matter, little one?" Rhinox asked kindly.

"Have you seen Hallie?" Melody asked curiously. "She said she was going out for a walk with Cheetor."

Surprised, Rhinox kneels down to the little girl. "Your sister has snuck out again. Why didn't you tell us?" he asked gently.

Melody looked worried. She realized that she had been lied to and believes she's in trouble. "I thought Hallie meant inside the base." she said sadly.

In response, Rhinox pats Melody on her head to reasure. "It wasn't your fault." he said with assurance.

* * *

Upon arrival, Cheetor has finally tracked down the source of the explosion. He slowed down his pace, which allowed his human passenger step off his back. He and Hallie crouch against a rock pillar and peaked over a corner to find Scorponok digging out a mega-cannon. He must have blasted the mega-cannon free. Scorponok transforms into scorpion mode and is now using his enormous claws to drag the mega-cannon from the hole.

Cheetor and Hallie had to keep their voices down. They couldn't risk alerting the dim-witted, but dangerous Predacon to their presence.

"Uh, oh," Cheetor said quietly. "Cheetor, Maximize...!"

Transforming to robot mode, Cheetor pulls out his laser pistol and beeped the prototype comlink. "Cheetor to Optimus." he said.

_"Optimus is on his way."_ Rhinox answered. _"He said that you and Hallie should get out of there."_

Raising his laser pistol, Cheetor is about to take immediate action. "No can do, baby blue," he said. "Scorponok's here and he's found a mega-cannon. Must have come from their ship. I gotta stop him before he gets it back to their base. Cheetor out."

Cheetor begins to sneak around the rocky hideout to catch Scorponok off-guard. Hallie is about to follow after her friend. "Let's get him." she whispered.

"No way, Hal." Cheetor warned, raising his hand at her. "That creep still has a grudge against you. Just stay back and watch the show."

"Fine," Hallie sighed.

An unsuspecting Scorponok continues to drag the mega-cannon. "Still operational." he said, examining it. "Megatron will be pleased."

Scorponok is oblivious to someone sneaking up behind him. Cheetor stepped out from the rock pillar and pointed his blaster at the giant scorpion. "And you'll be slag if you don't stay right where you are, claw-hole!"

Enraged, Scorponok spun around to face his Maximal adversary. He starts clicking his claws nervously.

"Clicking makes me twitch." Cheetor stated, powering up his laser pistol. "And there's a full charge in this beauty."

Hallie can tell that Cheetor is trying to prove he is top cat. "What a show off." she huffed.

Then Hallie suddenly hears a rock falling and landing near her from above. She slowly turned her head to look up. She sees long, black legs danging down from on top of the rock pillar, followed by eight, bulbous eyes staring down at her.

It was Tarantulas!

Hallie was as horrified as ever by the sight of this giant tarantula, which makes her want to cry. She stood still, her skin crawling and unable to call for help. It was just her and the creep. She feels nauseous. Her scream was trapped in her throat.

Seeing Tarantulas made the blood drain from her face. Her arms wrapped around themselves, suddenly cold. Before Hallie knew it, she was seeing stars and loses her sense of balance. She collapsed on the ground, listening to the ringing sound in her ears. She saw an image of the giant tarantula cackling before her vision goes black.

Cheetor is holding Scorponok at gunpoint, completely unaware of what happened to Hallie.

Scorponok moves sideways to guard the mega-cannon.

"Ah-ah!" Cheetor warned. "Away from the big boom, plug-ugly."

Scorponok obeyed and raised his claws, moving away from the mega-cannon.

Cheetor kept his eye on his target. Then he activates the prototype comlink on his arm. "Cheetor to base." he reported. "I got the gig in hand. Tell Optimus to home in on my signal."

There was no response on the comlink, much to the cheetah-bot's confusion. Unknown to the young Maximal, there are long, black legs creeping down from the rock pillar over him.

"Cheetor to base?" Cheetor asked with confusion. "Come in, Rhinox!"

Scorponok looked up and noticed who it was. He began to move forward.

"Ah-ah-ah!" Cheetor tutted. "You're making me twitch again!"

Suddenly, the gigantic tarantula is dangling down by a single thread of web and is right behind Cheetor. "And I shall make you _scream_!" Tarantulas cackled.

Surprised, Cheetor immediately opened fire multiple times at Tarantulas. But the wicked spider dodged every shot and quickly retreated back behind cover. With the Maximal distracted, Scorponok took the opportunity to transform. "Scorponok, Terrorize!" he shouted.

Then Scorponok fired a missile at Cheetor, blasting the Maximal into the rock pillar before he can cry out. He did not stand up.

Scorponok punched the air. "Yes!" he shouted triumphantly.

Before Scorponok can celebrate further, he heard Tarantulas' voice echoing in the air. "Better grab that weapon while you can and get back to base! Optimus is coming!"

Scorponok looked around the rocky pillars to see where Tarantulas is. But there was no sign of the sneaky spider anywhere.

"Don't give me orders!" Scorponok shouted angrily. "I'm second in command! _You_ will take the cannon back, and I will see to Optimus. You hear me?!"

By then Scorponok realised he was just yelling at the empty air. He just stood there, feeling like a fool. "Tarantulas?" he asked. "Tarantulas!"

Scorponok saw a distant speck up in the sky. It was moving toward him. He panicked when he realized who it was. He immediately transformed and started dragging the mega-cannon out of sight.

In the sky, Optimus Primal is flying over the rocky wasteland to locate Cheetor's last known signal. He pressed his comlink on his neck. "Cheetor? Cheetor!" he shouted.

The comlink receives nothing but static.

Optimus lets out a groan. "His signal's stopped. Could be Energon interference. Better use scan mode."

As Optimus narrowed his optics, he scanned the ground below him and quickly detected an energy signature.

_"Target spotted."_ the computer said. _"Locking in."_

By the time Optimus had landed with a soft thud, the two Predacons are already gone.

Optimus looked around the rocky area until he found a startling discovery. "Cheetor!" he exclaimed.

Optimus is shocked to find Cheetor badly damaged and unconscious. He soon discovers Hallie is lying unconscious on the ground behind a large rock. She seemed unharmed.

"Cheetor... Hallie..." Optimus before letting out a scream. "NOOOOOO!"

* * *

**_Later…_**

A bright light is in front of her face. Hallie Thorne is dazed and confused when she came out of it. She felt weak, though it passed quickly. She opens her eyes to find herself resting on a table. She is scared because she doesn't know where she was. She felt like things were crawling over her.

Panicked, Hallie wakes up suddenly and jumps off the berth. She retreats against a wall. She is gasping for breath.

A tall, bulky figure is standing near her. He appeared to be fixing something yellow on the table. "Hallie!" he said calmly. "Hallie, calm down. You're safe now."

At first, everyone looked distorted and blurry until she saw it was Rhinox. Rattrap is in rat mode and is resting on the big guy's back. Hallie is unable to think clearly until a blonde-haired figure wrapped her arms around her big sister.

"Hallie, you're okay!" Melody cried lovingly.

Hallie felt embarrassed that her sister is hugging her in front of the Maximals. She had a headache for a couple of minutes. She couldn't remember why she had it. "What happened?" she asked with a groan.

"You were found out cold," Rhinox stated grumpily. "Optimus brought you and Cheetor back for repairs. You're both lucky to be alive."

As Hallie observed her surroundings, she realised she was already back at the Maximal base, the _Axalon_. The last thing she remembered is being with Cheetor and trying to stop Scorponok from taking the mega-cannon when-

_Tarantulas!_ Hallie thought. It made her shiver in disgust whenever she thinks about him.

Up on a repair table, Cheetor is laying unconscious and is dreaming heavily. Rhinox had not used CR chambers because he hasn't got them working yet. At the moment, Rhinox is busy trying to do the last internal repairs on Cheetor when he suddenly jolts upright and starts screaming. That is until Rhinox pushed Cheetor back down on the table. He was gasping for breath and looking around.

Rhinox had just finished welding Cheetor's wound shut. "There," he smiled. "Good as new."

Rattrap moves forward on Rhinox's shoulder. "Yeah," he said, rubbing his sore ears. "And twice as loud. Ow!"

Hallie and Melody had both covered their ears to block the noise out.

"Is Hallie alright?" Cheetor asked with concerned.

"I'm down here." Hallie answered.

Cheetor looked over the berth and is relieved to see that his human friend is safe and well.

"Hallie's fine." Rhinox explained. "As far as I can tell, she merely suffered a shock due to a lack of oxygen with her brain."

"In other words," Rattrap said with a smirk. "The kid fainted."

Much to their amusement, Cheetor, Rhinox and Melody started laughing at the thought that the fearless Hallie actually fainted.

Hallie has never felt so embarrassed. She glared at Rattrap. "Did you have to tell them that?" she asked in a low tone.

Before Hallie could start a fight, she and Cheetor happened to notice Optimus Primal is looming over them. He looked greatly disappointed with them.

Feeling unhappy, Hallie crossed her arms. She was not in the mood for another of Optimus' lectures.

Melody kept quiet and watched everyone talked.

Cheetor sits up from the berth. He is quite nervous, remembering that he defied his leader's orders. "Hey, Big Bot," he said. "Uh...What happened out there?"

Rattrap spat out a piece of rotten apple. "You took a Predacon missile right in the chestplate. Guess you're not as fast as you thought. Huh, kiddo?"

It was Rhinox's turn to speak. "And you two got my comlink trashed!" he said furiously.

Hallie flinched when she was yelled at, but she kept quiet and kept her posture.

"Hey," Cheetor said calmly. "At least I proved it worked."

Optimus was not impressed at all with the rookie's cocky attitude. "Rhinox said you reported something about a mega-cannon?" he asked.

Cheetor widens his optics in remembrance. "That's right." he said. "It must have blown off their ship from the crash. Scorponok found it so I catted in and got the drop on him."

Rattrap scoffed at Cheetor's false bravado. "I'd, er...say _you_ were the one who got dropped." he mocked.

Finally, Rattrap ate down his rotten apple, much to Hallie and Melody's disgust.

"Hey," Cheetor protested. "Tarantulas' was there too. He got behind me. A-a-and now..."

"Scorponok capitalized on your mistake!" Optimus interrupted angrily. "Not to mention you impulsively put Hallie in danger by bringing her with you!"

"It wasn't Cheetor's fault!" Hallie cried. "I volunteered-"

"Stay out of this, Hallie." Optimus said emphatically.

As much as Hallie wanted to retort back, she knew it was Cheetor's responsibility. She felt like it was her fault for allowing Tarantulas to scare her before she could warn him. She stayed quiet pondering on this.

"Yeah, I guess so." Cheetor admitted sadly. "It was my fault."

Optimus was not finished making his statement clear. "Rhinox worked on that comlink for a month, and he doesn't have the components to build another one! You've cost us an advantage!"

Cheetor protested against this. "I couldn't let him get away with that cannon." he argued.

"Oh, yeah," Rattrap said sarcastically. "You...uh...you took care of that real good, kiddo." he snickered.

"Back off, rat face!" Cheetor shouted. He immediately transformed into a cheetah and is snarling at the rat's face. "Or I'll have a little vermin on a stick for lunch!" he threatened.

Then someone seized Cheetor's head and jerked him back. "No! You back off. NOW!" Optimus ordered.

"Sorry, Optimus. I-" Cheetor began.

"Sorry isn't enough!" Optimus barked. "We're in a battle for survival and you treat it like a game! If you had obeyed orders, none of this would have happened!"

Cheetor looked guilty and started staring down at the floor.

It was not over. Optimus Primal turned his attention to Hallie. "As for you," he said with a glare. "For sneaking out on a dangerous mission, you just cost yourself three days confinement inside the base."

"How come?" Hallie groaned. "What have I done to deserve this?"

"You don't listen to anyone, Hallie." Optimus scolded. "And I'm tired of your stubbornness so you're grounded until further notice."

"Like I care about your stupid rules!" Hallie said with disgust.

Hallie loses her temper and kicks the wall in anger. Then she exasperates with frustration and storms out of the repair room. Melody watches her sister leave. She had been covering her ears to block out the arguments. She looked sad. She knows that Hallie just needed some time alone.

Optimus Primal turned to face his fellow Maximals gathered around him. "I'm going to call Dinobot in from the perimeter." he announced. "We'll need his knowledge of the Predacon base to do something about that mega-cannon."

Before Optimus can leave, Cheetor decided to speak up. "I can get inside their base! Let me do it, Optimus!" he begged.

"You've done enough!" Optimus said.

That was the Maximal leader's final word. He leaves the repair room before the metal door slides shut behind him..

The repair room is filled with complete silence. Rhinox, Rattrap and Cheetor were looking at one another, hoping to come up with brilliant ideas. Melody Thorne watches them silently.

"I'd better come up with a plan." Rhinox said dryly. "If I know Optimus, he'll want to move fast."

"Yeah," Rattrap sighed with displeasure. "With me in front. Heh! No, thanks, partner. The pussycat got us into hot oil, let _him_ dance into Predacon HQ."

Cheetor is frustrated that Rattrap is giving him a hard time. "At least I'm not afraid to do it!"

"You know," Rattrap said. "That is why you mess up, kiddo. You don't have the sense to _be_ afraid."

"OH, YEAH?" Cheetor retorted foolishly. "I'll show you what I have the sense to do, motorhead! You and Big Bot!"

With an angry snarl, Cheetor rushed out of the repair room.

Once again, Rhinox has that bad feeling. He starts shaking his head. "Mmm, mmm, mmm." he mumbled.

"Whaaaaaaat?" Rattrap grumbled.

"You know what he's going to do." Rhinox said.

Rattrap knew so, but choses not to admit it. "Ah," he groaned. "He's just grinding his gears! I mean even _he's_ not dumb enough to disobey the great Optimus again..."

Rhinox glared at him. "Uh huh?"

Finally, Rattrap relented. "Okay, okay, okay, okay!" he cried. "I'll stop him! That's if I can catch up with him..."

Rattrap started grumbling his thoughts about Cheetor and leaves the room to go after him.

Then Rhinox gives a small smile.

Melody stepped forward and looked up curiously at her Maximal friend. "Do you think they'll be okay, Rhinox?" she asked.

"I hope so." Rhinox replied.

* * *

Before Rattrap could make it down the corridor, he was intercepted by that annoying human who stood on his tail. Hallie was leaning against the wall when she noticed the rat and stood in his way.

"Let me come along." Hallie insisted.

"Heh," Rattrap scoffed. "No way, kiddo. It goes to show you're all talk."

Hallie noticed that Rattrap is heading down the corridor toward the elevator, which is way passed his quarters. "Why are you sneaking out?" she asked.

Rattrap did not answer. He marches on to his destination. "None of your business," he replied.

"Look," Hallie sighed with annoyance."This is different. I'm worried about Cheetor. He's my friend too."

"What makes you, kiddo," Rattrap mocked. "tough enough to face Tarantulas? We both know how that went."

Hallie cringed when she heard his name. She grimaces at the thought of facing that hideous spider. She worries that her fear may have effect on her sister Melody, like what happened on the Energon mountain. Plus, she also let down Cheetor by fainting.

"I accept the challenge." Hallie said with a determined look.

"Come on, then," Rattrap exasperated in disgust.

* * *

Outside in the Predacon territory, Terrorsaur and Scorponok are up on the scaffolding near the _Darksyde_. They are installing the newly recovered mega-cannon. It was pretty useless now that their mighty ship has crashed. But the components are perfect to create multiple laser turrets that will defend the perimeter from intruders. Waspinator flew over to supervise the construction.

Meanwhile, Cheetor is out in the volcanic wasteland and is watching the Predacon base from a distance. "Gotta move quickly." he said.

Cheetor sneaks past the unsuspecting Predacons until he makes it to a gathering of rocks. He creeps forward and then stops to anticipate his next action. "All I have to do now is wait for the right moment." he said to himself.

But Cheetor is so focused that he failed to notice a rock behind him shift aside. Then a boomerang-like snare emerges from the ground and quickly grabs Cheetor's back leg, pulling him straight into the dark hole. He lets out a scream.

The last thing he saw is green eights staring at him, cackling away before Cheetor lost consciousness...

**_Later..._**

Water is dripping loudly from the stalagmites of the dark cavern, creating tiny echoes upon impact. In the centre of the enormous cave, there is an unconscious cheetah stuck to a glowing, energy web that restricts his movement. When the echoes hit his audio receptors, Cheetor stirs from his nap and found himself in a dark cavern.

"Ugh...What?" Cheetor groaned.

As Cheetor wearily scans the dark cavern he is in, he swore he heard a computer beeping nearby. He thought he was hallucinating at first. But then he hears that creepy laughter, which chills his spine. He follows the mad cackling sound to a giant tarantula who happens to be Tarantulas. "Welcome!" he said eerily.

Cheetor couldn't believe his luck. "Oh, brother," he groaned. "You need a maintenance bot badly."

Tarantulas snickers at the insult. He turned to his monitor machine and presses a white up button that sets the green bars up to full.

Suddenly, Cheetor is gasping and choking for life. His strength is somehow rapidly leaving him.

"You're in a stasis web." Tarantulas explained. "It drains the energy, but leaves the flesh alive!"

Cheetor stares in shock, unable to utter a sound.

"At its current setting, it should take only a few moments." Tarantulas chuckled, before he presses the blue down button. This makes the green bars go down. "But I find a slower pace makes the vital fluids taste so much better..."

"Whoa..." Cheetor groaned. "You are one spaced-out spider! Cheetor, Maximize!"

But nothing has happened.

Tarantulas begins crawls over his captive's body and laughs with delight at the thought of his meal. "I'm afraid the stasis web makes that impossible. Cat you are, and cat you stay. And when your energy is gone..."

Tarantulas' fangs are just inches from the terrified cheetah's neck.

"...I feast." Tarantulas finished, before laughing manically

* * *

In the _Axalon_'s control room, Optimus, Rhinox, and Dinobot are looking over a holomap of the crashed Predacon ship.

"Frontal assault now!" Dinobot demanded. "Before Megatron has a chance to use the cannon against us!"

"Impossible." Optimus stated. "The modifications would be too extensive. He's more likely doing placing it as a defensive weapon. The question is, where?"

Optimus is unaware that Rhinox had marched into the room. His rhino form leaned onto the holo-table to look at the _Darksyde _hologram.

"Rhinox!" Optimus exclaimed. "This is your specialty. Take a look. And where's Rattrap? I'll need him to scout."

Rhinox is taken aback, but manages to keep calm. "Um...Still talking to Cheetor and Hallie." he said.

Dinobot growls in frustration at this. "We waste too much time talking! We must act!" he yelled.

"Rushing in headlong won't help!" Optimus argued.

"No, no, NO!" Dinobot snarled. "DESTROY THEM!"

* * *

_**Elsewhere...**_

Unknown to everyone, Rattrap is already out in Predacon territory. He is climbing and following Cheetor's trail up a rocky hill. He can see the dark spikes on the horizon. The rat was unfortunate to have the stubborn little girl convince him to let her come along. It was a never-ending argument.

"Don't tell me to shut up." Hallie said, stumbling over the crooked rocks.

"Come on, kid," Rattrap groaned. "This ain't baseball where you can go in and act tough."

Hallie had her arms crossed unhappily. "Spare me the pleasantries, Rattrap." she retorted.

"Hey...!" Rattrap complained. "You stood on my tail!"

"You're still on about that?" Hallie asked with disbelief. "You should have transformed into an elephant. They never forget."

Through the smoky volcanoes, Hallie has never imagined she would returned to the crashed site of the _Darksyde _again. It has been a month. She can hear numerous steams coming out of the cracked vents.

"I don't get it." Rattrap said. "Why'd ya have a problem with spiders?"

Hallie can barely think of the word 'spider' without feeling her skin crawl. Her fear has grown worse with age. Her fear is completely irrational. She feels upset with herself for being terrified of something silly. She is not looking forward to reliving one of her worst childhood memories. But Rattrap will never shut up about it so she might as well tell him.

"When I was seven," Hallie explained reluctantly. "I was in science class at school. In the middle of it, the teacher's pet tarantula had just died. I was glad because the thing has always made me uncomfortable. A boy poked its body with a pencil and it suddenly came to life! The next thing I remember is waking up in the nurses' office. Now, every time I see a spider, I just freak out. People are always teasing me about it."

When Rattrap started sniggering, Hallie gave him a glare that forced him into silence. "Don't tell anyone, ever," she warned. "Or I'll do worse than stepping on your tail..."

Scoffing at her threat, Rattrap continued to follow Cheetor's recent scent. "I must have a bug in my program to be doing this for that dumb feline..." he grumbled.

As Rattrap climbs up the hill, his ratty nose started twitching and sniffing around the large rocks. "Ugh," he groaned in disgust. "I can smell his stink, even in this sludge box."

Rattrap sniffed harder, knowing that Cheetor had be close by. He rested on top of a rock, which he inadvertently shifted. "Something's weird here." he said.

Hallie is confused at this, but doesn't say a word.

Rattrap pushed the rock further aside, revealing a dark, gaping hole. He paused in thought before he immediately slides down without a word.

Taking a deep breath, Hallie sat down at the edge of the dark hole with her legs dangling. Maybe this isn't such a good idea after all. "I hate my life." she said.

Hallie pushed herself forward, sliding down the dark hole. Before Hallie knew it, she fell on top of a protesting Rattrap. "Get off me, will ya?!" the rat shouted.

Hallie immediately did so. The dusty dirt kicked up, making her cough a little. Her clothes were dirty.

The giant rat hissed with annoyance and started walking deep into the dark cavern. He didn't bother to wait for Hallie to catch up. The nerve of that rat is enough to infuriate her.

"Sheesh!" Hallie huffed, dusting herself. "And I thought I had an attitude problem."

The size of this enormous, dark cavern is enough to make Hallie feel small. She followed after Rattrap who picked up his speed. The scent he was sniffing for is growing stronger. Then they saw a bright light in the centre of the cavern.

As Hallie and Rattrap move closer, they realized they have finally found Cheetor. Unfortunately, he is stuck on a stasis web and is under Tarantulas' mercy.

Hallie finds herself too scared to move any further. Seeing that giant tarantula has rocketed her arachnophobia above her stress levels. She remained frozen to her hiding spot behind the large rock columns, unable to move.

Rattrap noticed this. "What is it now, Toughgirl?" he asked with a groan.

"I can't do it, Rattrap." Hallie said, feeling ashamed. "I just can't."

"Fine by me." Rattrap scoffed. "I was gonna do it on my own anyway."

On the computer monitor, the vital signs of Cheetor's image grew faint as each indication lets out a low whine.

"Not long now." Tarantulas said with a creepy laugh.

Cheetor is looking so weak he can barely keep his eyes open. "This is a really dumb plan, web-brain." he said tiredly. "I don't have any real blood, just mech fluid."

"Oh, my filters will adjust." Tarantulas explained cruelly. "It is the _act_ I enjoy more than the nourishment."

"You know," Rattrap said with disgust. "You're one sick bug, eight-eyes."

"Ah!" Tarantulas exclaims, turning around. "The rat!"

Rattrap laughs at this. "Ya got it! Now, what do ya say you let my pal go?"

"TARANTULAS, TERRORIZE!" he shrieked, changing to his hideous robot mode.

"RATTRAP, MAXIMIZE!" he shouted, changing to his warrior mode.

Laughing manically, Tarantulas pulls his laser gun from behind his back and fires a missile at the Maximal.

Rattrap lets out a gasp and dives for cover, blasting a rock column.

BOOM!

The rocky ceiling started to crumble.

Tarantulas paused for moment when he realized he couldn't see the Maximal in the dark.

This gave Rattrap the opportunity to pop out, pull out his laser pistol and open fire.

Leaping forward, Tarantulas dodged the explosive projectiles and took cover next to his computer. He fires another missile at Rattrap, missing and causing pebbles to rain down. Rattrap groaned when a rock fell on top of his head. He shakes his fist in frustration and retaliates with multiple laserfire.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The laserfire reverberated throughout the dark cavern, as the explosions threaten to bring the ceiling down.

Hallie covered her ears. She can see the flashes of light from her hiding spot.

"Now he'll have you for lunch, web-breath!" Cheetor taunted.

Tarantulas turned around and aimed his weapon at the trapped Maximal, immediately silencing him.

But instead of shooting, Tarantulas pressed the up arrow button on his computer which increases the web's energy drain rate. This makes Cheetor gasp and cough for air. He immediately loses consciousness on the web.

"Thermal scan," Tarantulas said, as a green visor covered his optics. He can now see Rattrap's heat signature in the dark and fired a missile at him.

With a scream, Rattrap was blasted through the rocky cover Hallie was hiding behind and landed in a heap. She muffled her scream by covering her mouth with both hands. Rattrap lifted himself up and rested against a large rock. He examines his surroundings. It seems that the hunter has become the hunted.

Resisting the urge to panic, Hallie peaked out to see that Cheetor is running out of time. The computer seems to be the cause of his aliment. His vital signs were really low.

Rattrap knew that Tarantulas is using a heat scanner to track him in the dark, probably can detect Hallie too. Thinking of a new plan, Rattrap puts away his laser gun and unclamps a device with red lights from within his left arm.

"What are you doing?" Hallie asked.

Without a word, Rattrap seizes Hallie and carried her underneath his arm. She did not protest this time, not with her life on the line. Rattrap looks around the corner and ran across the cavern before Tarantulas had the chance to fire on him and Hallie.

Rattrap ducks behind the rocky cover and carefully puts Hallie down. He places the hot box onto a rock next to her. He is gasping for breath. He pushes a button that allows it to flash continuously.

"Stay right where you are, kiddo." Rattrap said, pulling out his laser gun.

"What?" Hallie gasped.

"Enjoy being the bait." Rattrap snickered, before disappearing into the darkness.

"Have I told you how much I hate you?" Hallie hissed angrily.

Hallie heard nothing but the approaching footsteps of Tarantulas moving closer toward her. She is feeling anxious. She picks up a rock to defend herself. It is not an Energon crystal, but it will provide a distraction anyway. She is shaking uncontrollably. She wanted to cry and run away. But she forced herself to stay, rather than puke with fear. "I wish I never had this stupid phobia!" she whispered.

There was a sound of a weapon reloading and then the footsteps stopped.

After a few intense moments, Tarantulas stepped out and aimed at his enemy. But to his surprise, he saw only the human girl standing next to a flashing box.

Hallie is shaking slightly. She is standing at a not too far distance from the giant tarantula.

As a puzzled Tarantulas looked at her, he flinched when he heard a weapon being reloaded right behind him.

It was Rattrap. He was standing right behind the Predacon and pointing his weapon right at his head. "Fell for the old hot box." he tuts.

Tarantulas narrowed his gaze with contempt. He slowly turned around, keeping sharp optics on the Maximal. They were both trapped in a Mexican stand off and kept their weapons aimed at each other.

Hallie held the rock in her trembling hand, positioning her arm to aim correctly.

Before Tarantulas can fire, Hallie threw the rock at his head which bounces off him. This distracts Tarantulas long enough to allow Rattrap to blow the spider bot's left leg off. He lets out an agonized scream, falling on his back and accidentally firing a missile at the ceiling.

As Tarantulas nurses his cauterized wound, multiple rocks fell on top of him and seemingly knocked him out.

Hallie exhales with relief and steps out of her hiding place. She sees Rattrap and said: "What? Didn't think I could handle it?"

After that, Rattrap and Hallie ran toward the giant web where Cheetor is stuck on. He looked terribly weakened.

Rattrap ran over to the computer that is draining his energy and tries to deactivate it. "Hold on, kiddo!" he cried, pressing a few buttons.

_"Unable to respond," _the female voice reported._ "Incorrect energy signature."_

Shocked, Hallie is more worried for her cheetah friend. As she watches helplessly, she noticed her blue rucksack is resting underneath the web.

_It's my rucksack!_ Hallie thought. _I thought I'd lost it. Tarantulas had it all this time? Who knows what the creep had done with it..._

Hallie snatches up her unzipped blue rucksack. It still has her stuff inside, but she makes sure there are no booby traps. Her lunchbox is devoid of the crisps and tuna sandwiches, the matchbox is still full, the maroon blanket, her pyjamas and her blue-sleeved white shirt are intact. Even her baseball medal is there.

Hallie zipped up her blue rucksack and slipped it onto her back. She noticed that Rattrap is hesitating on the computer. "Hurry! Get Cheetor off that!" she yelled.

Frustrated, Rattrap snapped out of it and tried frantically pressing the buttons on the computer.

_"Incorrect energy signature. Unable to respond. Incorrect energy signature. Unable to respond."_

But suddenly, the computer had malfunctioned and hastened the energy drain on Cheetor, much to Rattrap and Hallie's shock.

Rattrap lets out a gasp and starts shaking the computer about. It starts beeping in response. _"Incorrect energy signature."_ it reported repeatedly.

Hallie immediately covers her ears to block out that racket. "Shut that thing up!" she shouted.

Rattrap rattles with anger. Then he had an idea. He shrugged his shoulders and pulled out his laser gun. "Guess I'll have to use my own signature," he said, taking aim.

Rattrap blasted the computer over down the dark abyss and it landed with a boom, silencing it for good.

Hallie is glad that piece of junk is gone. It was getting on her nerves.

Rattrap laughed at his victory. He turned to face the unconscious Cheetor stuck on the web. He uses a knife to cut the bonds, allowing the cheetah to fall into the Maximal warrior's arms.

Slowly, Cheetor shook his head and opened his eyes to look at his friends. "Hey, ratface, Hal," he said with a weak smile. "What's the good word?"

Before Rattrap, Cheetor and Hallie are ready to leave, they saw Tarantulas limping forward without his left leg. He does not know when to quit.

"Game over, vermin." Tarantulas stated, with a groan. "Give my regards to the inferno!"

The insane Predacon fired a missile directly at Rattrap, Cheetor and Hallie. This forces them to make a run for it.

BOOM!

Time seems to slow down. Rattrap, Cheetor and Hallie managed to evade from the large explosion by jumping over the dark abyss and landed flat on the other side. Although her ears rang, Hallie forced herself to stand on her sore knees and make her leave with her two Maximal friends.

The missile had exploded upon impact, causing the cavern ceiling to collapse upon Tarantulas. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he screamed.

As Tarantulas watches Rattrap, Cheetor and Hallie flee for the exit, he continues to scream as he is being buried alive by rocks.

Up on the surface, the entire _Darksyde_ base is shaking. The Predacons might as well mistaken it for an earthquake. Hallie climbs out of the dark hole. She sweated and coughed a little. With a grunt, she helps Rattrap pull Cheetor up.

Meanwhile, Tarantulas is stuck in his ruined lair, trying to unbury himself free. He manages to poke his head out through the rocks. "I hate that rat." he declared bitterly.

Before Tarantulas could utter 'human' too, a rock fell on his head and knocks him out.

* * *

_**At the Maximal base...**_

The silver moon is full in the sky. It was soon nightfall by the time Cheetor, Rattrap and Hallie had made it back to the Maximal base. It was pass midnight according to Hallie's watch. It took forever for Rattrap and Hallie to carry Cheetor out of Predacon territory and across the landscape undetected. Cheetor was in a weakened state but he eventually recovered and managed to walk on his own.

Inside the corridor, Hallie is not looking forward to another lecture from Optimus. She had already broken his rules three times. It had to be a record. He might as well ground her for good this time. She also hopes he doesn't noticed her blue rucksack that she lost before.

As the three arrived in the command centre, Rattrap gave an ashamed Cheetor an annoyed look before facing Optimus. "Heya, fearless leader! What's the haps?" he asked with a nervous grin.

An unhappy Optimus Primal turned around. "Where have you three been?" he demanded.

"Uh...just honking around." Rattrap lied. "Ya know, Cheetor and Hallie needed some activity. You were kinda rough on them before. Everybody makes mistakes, ya know."

Rhinox stared silently, preferring to keep quiet about what he really knew.

Dinobot remained silent as well. He prefers to talk more on war strategies than be involved in domestic squabbling.

Cheetor smiled that Rattrap actually covered for him.

Hallie was surprised at the rat's brief selflessness. But she dare not raise her hopes yet.

Optimus paused to think in silence over this. "Ah, well, maybe you're right." he admitted. "I'm sorry, Cheetor, Hallie. I shouldn't have been so harsh."

"No, you were right, Big Bot," Cheetor said modesty. "I messed up. But I won't do it again. From now on, this cat is a team player!"

Rhinox narrowed his eyes at Optimus. He wasn't ready to trust the young Maximal yet after the comlink was trashed.

"I'm glad to hear it." Optimus said.

It was then that Hallie decided to speak up. "I know I wasn't thinking either." she said. "I just wanted to prove I wasn't useless so I thought I could help Cheetor out. Be his scout or something."

Rattrap raised his optics with a smug smile at the idea. "Its true," he said. "The kid can be resourceful when she puts her mind to it."

Optimus frowned a little at this. "Its quite a risk." he said. "I'll think about it later. Meanwhile, you go straight to bed, young lady."

After that, Cheetor, Rattrap and Hallie walked back down the corridor to return to their quarters. It was late and they all needed a good night's rest to recover their strength. The whole ordeal with Predacons in one day has wore them out.

Cheetor turned to look at Rattrap. "Hey..." he began. "Thanks. For not telling him about -"

"Save it, kiddo!" Rattrap snapped angrily. "If I told Optimus about your little play date with Tarantulas, he'd kick my my sweet pink butt too! And yours too, Toughgirl!"

Cheetor widens his optics at this.

Hallie knew that Rattrap's nice side was too good to be true. She sighed and crossed her arms.

"And one more thing," Rattrap said emphatically. "If you ever pull a stunt like this again, I will personally rearrange your spots! Now... Get outta my way, I got garbage to munch!"

With a huff, Rattrap walks through between Hallie and Cheetor. He walked his paws back to his quarters.

However, Cheetor knew that Rattrap has a good heart even when he won't admit it. "And thanks for saving my life...pal." he said with a smile. "You too, Hallie."

"Of course," Hallie smirked, stroking his head. "You're my friend. Friends watch out for each other."

"Night, Hal." Cheetor said, walking away.

Hallie lets out a yawn and stretches her arms. "Good night." she replied.

When Hallie entered her quarters, she saw that Melody is resting on top of the berth. She is dressed in her pyjamas and hugging her teddy bear. She seemed surprised to see her sister again.

"You're…You're back, Hallie." Melody said. "Where did you go?"

Without a word, Hallie climbed on the stool step and jumped onto the berth. She planned to wash up and brush her teeth in a minute. Then she puts down her blue rucksack next to the pink one, unzipping it and pulling out the maroon blanket. "I went out for a walk." she answered.

As Hallie puts the blanket over her little sister. Melody was suspicious of her sister's 'walks'. "But that was hours ago." she replied with confusion.

Hallie turned her head to look at Melody and put her hands on her hips. "Hey," she said proudly. "I like the great outdoors."

Melody noticed that Hallie has her blue rucksack that she had lost to the Predacons two weeks ago. She chose not to say anything about it. She didn't want to put her big sister into more trouble with Optimus than she already has. She also too tired for another unwinnable fight with Hallie.

"Next time," Melody said, closing her eyes. "You're taking me with you. It must be fun."

Hallie laughed a little. "Oh, you have no idea, Melody."


End file.
